Miku Nihira

Miku Nihira
Curler
Born (2002-08-29) 29 August 2002 (age 22)
Team
SkipMiku Nihira
FourthMomoha Tabata
SecondSae Yamamoto
LeadMikoto Nakajima
AlternateAyami Ito
Curling career
Member Association Japan
Medal record
Curling
Representing  Japan
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 2024 Lohja
Representing Hokkaido
Japan Curling Championships
Silver medal – second place 2024 Sapporo
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Tokoro

Miku Nihira (Japanese: 仁平美来, born 29 August 2002) is a Japanese curler from Sapporo. She currently skips and throws third rocks on Team Momoha Tabata,[1] known in Japan as the Hokkaido Bank curling team.

Career

Nihira began curling in 2014 after being selected as one of the first group of students for the Hokkaido Talent Athlete Discovery Development Project.[2]

Nihira joined Team Hokkaido Bank in 2021.[3] Playing third on the team, skipped by Momoha Tabata, Nihira won a bronze medal at the 2022 Japan Curling Championships.[1] With Nihira taking over as skip, but throwing third stones, the rink won a silver medal at the 2024 Japan Curling Championships, losing in the final to SC Karuizawa Club, skipped by Miyu Ueno.[4]

Nihira skipped the Japanese team, which also consisted of Tabata, Yuina Miura, Mikoto Nakajima and Yui Ueno, at the 2024 World Junior Curling Championships. There, she led the team to a 7–2 round robin record. In the playoffs, the team defeated Norway (skipped by Torild Bjørnstad) in the semifinal before losing to Switzerland (Xenia Schwaller) in the final, settling for a silver medal.[5]

Following juniors, the rink had a strong 2024–25 curling season on the women's tour, winning the Ice Gold Cup,[6] the Argo Graphics Cup,[7] the Saville Shootout,[8] the Red Deer Curling Classic[9] and the Saville U25 Challenge events. The team made their Grand Slam debut at the 2024 Tour Challenge Tier 2 event, where they lost in the semifinals to their compatriots, Sayaka Yoshimura (Team Fortius). The team made their Tier 1 Grand Slam debut at the 2024 Canadian Open, where the finished with a win-less 0–4 record. At the next slam, the 2024 National, they improved to a 1–3 record.[1] And in the fourth slam of the year, the 2025 Masters, they improved once again, finishing the group stage with a 2–2 record. They then beat Team Danielle Inglis in a tiebreaker,[10] before bowing out in the quarter finals to team Anna Hasselborg,[11] who earned the right to select Team Tabata as they playoff opponent in a draft.[10]

Personal life

She attended the Hokkaido University of Education.[12] Before curling, Nihira competed in karate for 10 years.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Team Tabata". Grand Slam of Curling. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "北海道銀行が接戦制す「勝てて良かった」　２０歳・仁平美来は空手１０年経験者「精神力が役に立った」」". Daily Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  3. ^ "北海道銀行カーリング部｢五輪で金｣　4人体制で発足式". The Nikkei (in Japanese). Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  4. ^ "New Curling Champions in Japan". The Curling News. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  5. ^ "Switzerland women crowned world junior champions". World Curling. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  6. ^ "Obihiro ICE Gold Cup 2024". CurlingZone. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  7. ^ "Hasselborg begins season with perfect run at Oslo Cup in Norway". TSN. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  8. ^ "2024 Saville Shootout". CurlingZone. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  9. ^ "Tabata, Dunstone win at Red Deer Curling Classic". Red Deer Advocate. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Fujisawa steals spot in WFG Masters quarterfinals from Lawes". Sportsnet. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  11. ^ "Homan tops Tirinzoni in WFG Masters quarterfinals". Grand Slam of Curling. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  12. ^ "岩教大・仁平さん、世界ジュニアカーリング女子準Ｖ　「成長を実感」". Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved January 19, 2025.