In sports, people often say that a silver medal is “won through defeat,” while a bronze medal is “won through victory.”
Others go even further and claim that people remember the gold medalist, but rarely remember who finished second.
Of course, earning second place on the world stage is still an extraordinary achievement. But for elite athletes who dedicate their lives to winning, the difference between first and second can feel enormous.
That mentality was on full display during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Japan advanced to the championship game after one of the most dramatic victories in WBC history—a walk-off comeback against Mexico in the semifinal. The players exploded with joy after the game, celebrating a victory that had seemed impossible only moments earlier.
But while the stadium and clubhouse were still filled with excitement, Shohei Ohtani immediately shifted his focus to the next challenge.
He said:
“Reaching the final gives us a huge sense of accomplishment, but first place and second place are completely different things. I’ll do whatever it takes to win the championship.”
Those words reveal how seriously Ohtani views competition.
He had already experienced winning a Japan Series championship with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, but he had also experienced painful defeats. In high school, he never reached the top at Koshien. In Major League Baseball, his Angels teams repeatedly faded from playoff contention despite strong starts.
Those frustrations only strengthened his desire to win at the highest level.
For Ohtani, two-way baseball was never about personal fame or statistics alone.
Pitching and hitting both existed for one purpose:
Helping his team win.
That is why he said he would “do whatever it takes.”
Because for athletes like Ohtani, there is a clear line separating champions from everyone else.
Source
This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.
SHO-TIME 2.0: Shohei Ohtani’s Challenge to Become the Best in the World, p.107