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 Kazuyoshi Funaki competing in the ski-jumping World Cup. (AFP/Jiji) |
SALT LAKE CITY, HERE WE COME!
Gearing Up For the Winter Olympics
January 30, 2002
Most of the athletes who will represent Japan at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah have been selected. Four years ago in Nagano, Japan took advantage of its status as host nation and claimed five gold, one silver, and four bronze medals, its highest Winter Olympic total ever. This time around, expectations are high that the nation's athletes will follow up their 1998 performance with success in Salt Lake. Tsunekazu Takeda, chairman of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) (site is Japanese only) and head of the Japanese team, has set a target of "10 medals, including 5 gold," the same numbers as at Nagano. With this goal in mind, competing athletes are busy making their final preparations as the games' February 8 start date draws near.
Ski-Jumping Hopes
Top Japanese athletes competing at Salt Lake 2002 include members of the five-man ski-jumping team that became known as the "Hinomaru Fliers" following its stellar performance in Nagano. Most eyes will be focused on Kazuyoshi Funaki, who earned two gold medals in Nagano. During this season's World Cup competition, Funaki placed third on two occasions to break out of the slump he suffered last season. Veteran jumper Masahiko Harada appears in good form heading into the Games, too. The team also includes 19-year-old Hiroki Yamada, who will be making his first trip to the Olympics.
In freestyle skiing, female mogul skier Aiko Uemura is a definite medal contender. As a high-school senior Uemura came seventh at Nagano, but she has improved significantly since then, finishing second in last season's overall World Cup standings.
Speed skater Hiroyasu Shimizu, gold medalist in the men's 500 meters at Nagano, has been hampered by back problems recently but will be looking to prove himself once again as the world's fastest skater in Salt Lake City. The women's speed skating squad has strength in depth and is led by Eriko Sanmiya, who placed second overall at last year's world sprint championship in Inzell, Germany. Takafumi Nishitani, who earned a gold medal in the men's 500-meters short track at Nagano, suffered a broken left ankle during the Olympic qualifiers last December but was still chosen for the team. His post-surgery rehabilitation is right on schedule, and it looks like he will be healthy in time for the Games.
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One School, One Country
"One School, One Country" is a highly respected educational program that began in Nagano. This program, which will be continued for the Salt Lake City Games, involves elementary, middle, and high schools in the host region choosing one participating nation, learning about the country's history and culture, and cheering on its athletes at the games. The program has been praised for being a symbol of the Olympics not just as a festival of sport but of peace as well. Out of the over 800 elementary and middle schools in Utah, some 25 schools, including Bates Elementary School, Bella Vista Elementary School, White Pine Middle School, and Hillside Middle School, adopted Japan as their country. The people of Japan are proud of the way the heritage of Nagano continues to live on.
The Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics will be covered by Japanese television throughout the event. Due to the time difference, it looks as if Japanese fans will be in for a few sleepless nights.
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Copyright (c) 2002 Japan Information Network. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government. |
