Shohei Ohtani’s Biggest Fan Just Won an Olympic Gold Medal

Japanese Olympian Kira Kimura, a huge fan of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, won Japan’s first gold medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Saturday.

“Everything about him is amazing,” Kimura said.

Ohtani isn’t the only amazing one, as Kimura proved himself as the best in his event at just 21 years old.

Kimura participated in the men’s Big Air competition at the Livigno Snow Park in Valtellina, Italy, and finished first with fellow countryman Ryoma Kimata in second.

Perhaps Ohtani guided him in the right direction, though, as the Dodgers star’s lifestyle choices have also had their impact on the young snowboarder.

“I’ll try to get at least eight hours of sleep, too,” Kimura said upon reading articles on how important sleep is to Ohtani.

Japan currently sits third in the official medal count, behind Norway and Switzerland. They have seven total medals, which is the second-most of any country so far.

How Influential is Shohei Ohtani?

When looking at Ohtani’s accomplishments through his eight seasons of MLB, it’s no wonder why he’s garnered international attention.

Since arriving in MLB, Ohtani has separated himself as one of the best players to ever play the sport. He is one of just two players to have won more than three MVP awards, the other being Barry Bonds, and has won the last three unanimously.

Since moving to the Dodgers, Ohtani has broken their single-season home run record twice, made both All-Star games and has taken each of the last two World Series. Last season, he managed his third 1.000 OPS season in a row, and hit a career-high 55 home runs.

His on-field accomplishments have made him the most followed baseball player on instagram by a wide margin, and as the best player from a country where baseball is the biggest sport, it’s no wonder younger athletes would look up to him.

Ohtani has made his mark on sports with the Dodgers, and will look to keep moving forward with the Dodgers in 2026. The Dodgers are on the brink of the franchise’s first three-peat, and will look to Ohtani to lead them to yet another championship.