Yumi Kajihara

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Yumi Kajihara (born April 10, 1997) is a Japanese track and road cyclist who competes for Team Yumi. She rose from a multi-sport youth to become one of Japan’s top cyclists, known for her hard work, endurance, and strategic racing.

Her breakthrough came after she started cycling in high school, inspired by a cycling club advisor. She quickly excelled, winning national junior titles and five titles at the Junior Asian Championships in 2015. She chose the University of Tsukuba, developed her own training plan, and received strong support from her mother, who rode with her during practice. After university, she became a sports advisor in 2020.

Kajihara’s major achievements include becoming the world champion in the omnium in 2020. She represented Japan at the Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) and won a silver medal in the women’s omnium, making her the first Japanese woman to win an Olympic medal in cycling. She also competed in the Madison event at Tokyo before withdrawing.

In 2022 she became a full-time lecturer at Japan Wellness Sports University. In 2023 she moved to Switzerland to train with the World Cycling Centre road team, becoming the first Japanese woman to join their road squad. She then faced a series of injuries and surgeries after returning to Japan.

At the 2024 UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup, Kajihara won gold in the omnium and elimination events and bronze in the team pursuit. She competed again at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the women’s team pursuit and the omnium. The team pursuit set a Japanese record in qualifying but finished 10th, while the omnium saw her finish in 17th place after a tough series of events.