It is amazing how fast an athlete can go from being overshadowed to casting a shadow.
Just over one year ago, Takahiko Kozuka skated in the Vancouver Games as the third member of Japan's men team. Veterans Daisuke Takahashi and Nobunari Oda were mentioned early in the conversation about medal prospects, with Kozuka considered more of a hope for the future.
Takahashi earned the Japan's first Olympic medal ever for men with his bronze in Canada, while Oda placed seventh.