Celtic winger Daizen Maeda has brushed off suggestions that he should swap football for athletics and represent Japan at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, despite his blistering pace being compared to the world's best sprinters.
The 26-year-old Japan international set a World Cup record by making 78 sprints in a single match during the tournament, where he also clocked a top speed of 22.1 mph against Sweden. Only France's Kylian Mbappe was faster, with a peak of 23.4 mph.
Maeda's Response to Olympic Switch Talk
In a television interview in Japan, Maeda was asked whether he would consider competing in middle or long distance running events at the next Olympics. He laughed off the idea, saying: "Unfortunately, I think the athletes are at a different level from me, so no. But I am humbled at the suggestion!"
He credited his speed and stamina to natural ability rather than rigorous training, stating: "I have always been into running and I have been doing it from an early age. I didn't practice at all. I just got better naturally. My stamina is also natural."
Almost a Gymnast: Maeda's Olympic Dream
Maeda revealed that his Olympic ambitions once lay in gymnastics, not football. He said: "When I was going through my education, I was watching the Olympics and I really enjoyed it. Football wasn't going well for me at that time, so I decided I would quit and do gymnastics instead. My aim was always to go to the Olympics and represent Japan in the gymnastics events."
However, he soon realized his body was not suited to the sport: "But I gradually realised my body wasn't flexible enough to be a gymnast, so from there, I tried to be a sprinter and worked on my speed all the time."
Return to Football
Maeda credits his friends and family for persuading him to stick with football. "As I was about to quit football for good, my friends and family brought me back to the game I now love. They encouraged me not to give up and to work harder," he said. "I actually enjoyed the running part of football rather than the game at first. But then I discovered scoring goals was more fun!"
Maeda's pace has made him a key player for Celtic and Japan, but the Olympics will have to wait — at least on the track.
