[/floatl]...are American. Asianweek carries a short article about Asian-American Olympic prospects and a few appear to have some Japanese heritage. In the case of gymnast Sho Nakamori (left), the link is quite direct - his parents are both Japanese and his father, Kazuki, represented the Japanese national gymnastics team. There's a Washington Post article here which tells of the setbacks he has had along the way. Tragically, his father died suddenly from complications resulting from a minor illness. Injury has also blighted his career but he competed recently and hopes to make the team. Yewki Tomita is also on the gymnastics squad and his father Yoichi was the top schoolboy gymnast in Japan in 1973 before himself representing the US at the sport and going on to become a leading administrator. [floatr]
[/floatr]In diving, Haley Ishimatsu and her sister Victoria have both competed at the national level and 15 year old Haley took a silver medal at the recent Pan American games. Two Hawaiians with Japanese ancestry are judoka Taylor Takata and cyclist Kim Hayashi (right). Hayashi's event is BMX which will make its Olympic debut this year. The Asianweek piece also mentions Kimiko Hirai Soldati who was the first female in U.S. diving history to qualify for finals in all five events at the National Championships. Her father, Gary Hirai, was born in an internment camp during the war. However, as far as I can tell, she is coaching Olympic hopefuls but isn't competing herself. Her last major triumphs were back in 2004.
