Yukio Kasaya, 1972 Sapporo Olympic ski jumping champion, dies at 80

SAPPORO (Kyodo) — Former ski jumper Yukio Kasaya, who in 1972 became the first Japanese ever to win a Winter Olympic gold medal, has died at the age of 80.

Kasaya died of ischemic heart disease Tuesday at a Sapporo hospital. He led a Japanese podium sweep in the 70-meter normal hill event at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, with Akitsugu Konno taking silver and Seiji Aochi bronze.

Kasaya broke into the limelight as an Olympic gold favorite after winning all three events he entered at the classic Four Hills tournament in Germany and Austria, one month before the Olympics was held in his native Hokkaido.

He also earned silver in the 70-meter event at the world championships in 1970 and retired from competition after his fourth Olympics in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria.