updated 11:38 a.m. ET Feb. 27, 2006

TURIN, Italy - They are eating golden doughnuts back home in honor of Japan’s only medalist at these Olympics, Shizuka Arakawa.

Arakawa won the glamour event of the games, women’s figure skating, on Thursday night, and she was not only awarded with a gold medal, but with the sweet tribute from Doughnut Plant NY in Japan. The medal-shaped doughnuts are sprinkled with gold leaf.

“I feel the importance and value of winning more and more,” Arakawa said Saturday morning, looking well-rested for someone who has gotten only six hours of sleep in the last day and a half. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t find time to meet with my parents who were here to watch my performance. Hopefully, I’ll share time with them after coming back home to Japan.”

She also hopes to find a boost in the popularity of her sport among the Japanese. Rinks have been closing, including the Konami Sports Ice Rink in Sendai where Arakawa trained. She is troubled by such a trend, which in part has forced her to train in Connecticut much of the time.

“The rink where I did most of my fundamental training has closed down. It’s very sad,” she said. “It’s really hard for young people to find a place to train these days. The situation with rinks in Japan isn’t good at all. Even when I train in Japan it’s hard to get enough time on the ice. I’m almost forced to train in the United States.

“I wish it were possible in Japan for people to just go to a rink to skate without so much of a hassle.”

Perhaps her gold medal, which she wore proudly at a news conference Saturday, will help change the situation. Japan is the rising power in women’s figure skating, with several teenagers ready to push aside Arakawa, 24, and Fumie Suguri, 25. Mao Asada won the Grand Prix final, but at 15 was too young to compete in Turin or the world championships. Miki Ando, the third Japanese woman here, and Yoshie Onda also are top-level skaters. There are quite a few more in the wings.

So if Arakawa doesn’t attend next month’s world championships in Calgary — she sounded doubtful Saturday, but eager to skate in the 2007 worlds in Tokyo — the Japanese won’t exactly be searching desperately for talent to fill her spot.

Slide show   Taking gold Check out the best images from the 2006 Winter Olympics.

“As long as I have the desire to skate, it doesn’t really matter where,” she said. “I can’t say here yet what I intend to do. I will have to wait until I get back to Japan.

“My dream is to perform in ice shows. I want to show my performances to as many people as possible. I wish for many people to know the beauty of skating.”

Arakawa is only the second Japanese woman to win a Winter Olympics medal. Tae Satoya won the moguls gold in 1998.

Arakawa is also the oldest woman to win the figure skating gold since Magda Julin-Mauroy, who was 25 when she won in 1920.

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“The most surprising thing to me is the very hectic schedule after the gold medal,” she said with a laugh. “It’s quite busy. “

It’s only going to get busier. The gold medal was worth millions to Tara Lipinski after her 1998 win, and to Sarah Hughes after the 2002 Games. While Arakawa’s popularity outside of Japan is limited, it can only increase after she beat such stars as Sasha Cohen and Irina Slutskaya.

And she’s already got the doughnut market cornered.

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