The field for LA 2028 will be far more contested. It's still early to tell how competitive it will be, but there are at least 5 more up-and-coming players besides Harimoto.
Continuing from where
I left off:
Hirano (2000/4/14)
Hayata (2000/7/7)
Ito (2000/10/21)
Nagasaki (2002/6/15)
Yokoi (2004/4/23)
Odo (2004/5/16)
Kihara (2004/8/3)
AOKI Sachi/青木咲智 (2007/4/10)
MENDE Rin/面手凛 (2007/12/31)
TAKEYA Misuzu/竹谷美涼 (2008/4/17)
TAKAMORI Mao/高森愛央 (2008/5/15)
Harimoto (2008/6/16)
OJIO Yuna/小塩悠菜 (2008/7/5)
Where Yokoi, Odo, Takamori and Aoki are affiliated to Shitennoji and Miki House. Given Yokoi's and Odo's zero international activities in 2022 and 2023, whereas Takamori had been playing weekly for the most part since May, 2023 and Aoki started playing again in Nov, 2023, I get the impression that both Yokoi and Odo will be passed over in the next cycle, much like
Nagasaki and Kihara.
Zennihon Takkyu 2024
JGS R16
Aoki 1-3 遊佐美月/YUSA Mizuki
Ojio 2-3 Takeya
JGS QF
Takamori lost 7 points in a row from 7:4 to 7:11 against 上澤杏音/UESAWA Anne in G5 after coming back strong from 1-2. Calling TO at 7:5 instead of 7:6 might've been better in retrospect. Had gamepoint in G3 after trailing for most of the game.
Takeya 1-3 兼吉優花/KANEYOSHI Yuka, the latter a chopper
JGS SF
Harimoto 3-1 Uesawa
Mende 3-1 Kaneyoshi
Uesawa forced a TO from Harimoto's dad at 7:6 of G4 after 7:4. Mende knows how to take apart a chopper.
JGS F
Harimoto 3-0 Mende
Harimoto's mind wandered off in G3 but managed to close it out.
JBS F
Matsushima 2-1 -> 2-2 -> 3-2 YOSHIYAMA Kazuki (brother of YOSHIYAMA Ryoichi)
Finally for Matsushima after how many tries?
Yoshiyama's coach didn't call TO at 7:8 after leading 7:4 in G3, but chose to "call it for Matsushima" after 8:8 (which then became 8:10 and 9:11)?
G5 21, 22 edge for Yoshiyama,
23, 73, 74 TO for Matsushima, 76, 86, 87, 97, 98, 118
The future is gloomy for this generation. Tofu mentality.
