Japanese ski jumper Ryōyū Kobayashi has enjoyed immense success in his still-young career. He is one of only three people to have won all four competitions in the Four Hills tournament at the Ski Jumping World Cup. He achieved this during the 2018-19 season, which also saw him crowned the overall winner after winning each of the other four tournaments he entered. He also won the 2021/22 World Cup outright and showcased his talents to a wider audience after winning gold in the Normal Hill event at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Kobayashi was born in the Japanese city of Hachimantai in November 1996. He began skiing aged five, but after being inspired by his older brother (and fellow Olympic medallist) Junshirō Kobayashi, he switched to ski jumping during first grade. He made his FIS Cup debut in September 2013, winning only his second-ever event, and competed in the 2014 Nordic Junior World Ski Championships. He made his World Cup debut in January 2015, and within a year, he had become a regular competitor, finishing in the top 50 at the end of the 2015/16 season.

In 2018, Kobayashi made his Olympic debut in Pyeongchang, finishing seventh in the Normal Hill, but it was his all-conquering performance in the 2018/19 World Cup that rocketed him to the top of his sport. He also won team bronze at the 2019 World Championships. Since his stunning maiden World Cup victory, Kobayashi has remained at the height of his sport, with his first Olympic gold medal in 2022 sealing his reputation as one of the greatest ski jumpers of his generation.