The Beijing 2022 Olympic champion seemed content with his performance afterwards, smiling and celebrating with his teammates, including winner Totsuka Yuto.
Simply being able to compete demonstrated his warrior spirit and impressive mental resolve.
“I think this experience has been a huge positive for me. I cannot imagine what it would’ve been like if I hadn’t come here. I’m really glad I was able to push my limit and to challenge myself. This makes me feel grateful,” he said.
At 27, Hirano is certainly young enough to push for another Olympic appearance, and if anything, Milano Cortina 2026 has motivated him to keep pushing.
“I believe this experience will connect to what lies ahead, and help me move forward, so I feel that I’ve been given a really valuable opportunity,” he said.
“I want to recover from the injury and keep evolving in a way that makes me stronger as a person. I want to start from zero again and build myself up step by step so I can show that growth to the people around me. I’d appreciate it if you could keep watching and supporting me.”