Japan promises better support for athletes
Arakawa’s skating gold only medal for country, worst haul in 18 years
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TOKYO, Japan - Shizuka Arakawa’s gold medal in women’s figure skating was a shining moment for Japan at the Turin Games.
And it was the only one.
Despite taking one of the Winter Olympics’ most coveted prizes, the games were a disaster for Japan, which failed to win any others — the country’s worst medals haul in 18 years. Olympic officials predicted Japan would win at least five.
“There are many lessons to be learned toward the next Olympics,” government spokesman Shinzo Abe said Monday, though he congratulated Arakawa for a feat “worth 10 normal medals.”
Japan’s contingent never recovered from a bad start, when veteran ski jumper Masahiko Harada was disqualified for using skis that were too long.
Snowboarder Melo Imai, believed to be a contender for gold, crashed during both her halfpipe runs and was rushed to the hospital. She finished last.
Also failing to win medals were world record-holding speedskater Joji Kato, Alpine ski hope Kentaro Minagawa and the country’s popular curling team — the subject of a movie.
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Japan’s top politicians pledged Monday to bolster support of its athletes.
“But I think there is a widespread opinion that the support system for athletes should be more firmly established,” Abe said, adding the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports was looking into the matter.
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