Nihira Runner-Up at 2024 World Junior Curling Championships

Fourth
Momoha
Tabata

SKIP
Miku
Nihira

Second
Sae
Yamamoto

Lead
Mikoto
Nakajima

Miku Nihira (Sapporo, JPN) lost 10-3 to Xenia Schwaller (Zurich, SUI) in the Final of the World Junior Curling Championships, held February 17 - 24, 2024 in Lohja, Finland. To advance to the championship game, Nihira won 8-5 over Torhild Bjoernstad (Oppdal, NOR) in the semifinals

Nihira finished 7-2 in the 10-team qualifying round. . In their opening game, Nihira defeated Moa Dryburgh (Stockholm, SWE) 7-6, then won 8-5 against Robyn Munro (Stirling, SCO) and 9-7 against Sara Messenzehl (Fuessen, GER). Nihira went on to lose 6-3 against Schwaller. Nihira lost 7-5 to Myla Plett (Sherwood Park, CAN) where Nihira responded with a 7-5 win over Zhuo Han (HARBIN, CHN). Nihira won 6-3 against Bjoernstad, then won 8-2 against Korea's Hanbyeol Park and 9-1 against Ilknur Urusan (Erzurum, TUR) in their final qualifying round match.

With their runner-up finish at the World Junior Curling Championships, Nihira take home 24.750 world rankings points. Nihira move up 7 spots after posting a net gain of 21 points improving upon their best 8 results so far this season, ranking 28th overall with 114.000 total points on the World Ranking Standings. Nihira ranks 28th overall on the Year-to-Date rankings with 114.000 points earned so far this season.