It鈥檚 been quite the career arc for rugby great Nathan Hirayama, from being named 2008 University of Victoria athlete of the year, to carrying the flag into the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
The 33-year-old, world all-time third-leading scorer in sevens with 1,859 points, has announced his retirement.
鈥淚 still feel I can play but my head and heart told me this was the right moment,鈥� said Hirayama, who was opening ceremony co-flagbearer in Tokyo with basketball player Miranda Ayim.
鈥淣ow I鈥檒l see what鈥檚 out there for me off the pitch.鈥�
Hirayama first thought of following his parents into teaching, which is the degree he graduated with from UVic, but has also trained as a firefighter. Whatever he does, he wants to stay involved with the sport he loves.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen the rugby landscape change so much, to it becoming an Olympic sport in sevens,鈥� said Hirayama, who also earned 23 caps in XVs, and represented sa国际传媒 at three World Cups.
鈥淚 would love to help others in sa国际传媒, those young players coming up, to have those experiences too as our sports continues to grow and evolve.鈥�
Hirayama is almost certainly headed one day to the Victoria, UVic, and sa国际传媒 sports halls of fame, if not sa国际传媒鈥檚 Sports Hall of Fame. He was the youngest player at the time to suit up for sa国际传媒 in both sevens and XVs and recalled the key career decision, coming out of McRoberts Secondary in Richmond, that helped make it possible.
鈥淚 looked at the UVic roster at the time, and it was loaded with national team players, and thought that鈥檚 where I want to be,鈥� he said.
鈥淯Vic meant so much to my career and playing with the Vikes are some of my best memories.鈥�
He isn鈥檛 forgotten there. Hirayama will be the keynote speaker at the 14th annual Vikes Championship Breakfast on Sept. 28. The event has raised $6.7-million toward student-athlete scholarships since 2008, when Hirayama was setting university pitches ablaze in UVic blue and gold.
An elegant playmaker, 颅Hirayama was as well known for his assists as his try scoring and kicking as he led sa国际传媒 into Commonwealth Games, gold in the Pan Am Games and to the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Olympics.
Asked to assess his career, Hirayama replied: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 put it into words, to be honest. I am just grateful to have had the opportunity and to have been involved in the sport.鈥�
Langford-based sa国际传媒 is preparing to host World Series sevens tournaments Sept. 18-19 at sa国际传媒 Place and Sept. 25-26 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. For the first time since 2010, Hirayama won鈥檛 be leading sa国际传媒 onto the pitch as captain.
