Japan Olympic Bid Farewell in Tokyo
- 14 years ago
These are Japan’s best athletes. And today in Tokyo it was a chance for the public and media to wish them well at this year’s Winter Games.
A team of 188 athletes plus entourages are hoping to do much better than the single gold medal they picked up at the 2006 Olympics in Italy.
Figure skater Mao Asada is one of the rising stars in the team.
This will be her first Winter Games.
However she faces stiff competition from her long-time rival Kim Yu-na of South Korea.
Seiko Hashimoto was Japan’s last medal winner. The former speed skater and team leader said the athletes needed to believe they could do it.
[Seiko Hashimoto, Former Olympian]: (Female, Japanese)
"We expect the fight to be tough at the Vancouver Olympics where the world's top athletes will be getting together but I ask all of you athletes not to be daunted by this and believe in yourself and concentrate in the competitions."
The opening ceremony is set for February 12th.
A team of 188 athletes plus entourages are hoping to do much better than the single gold medal they picked up at the 2006 Olympics in Italy.
Figure skater Mao Asada is one of the rising stars in the team.
This will be her first Winter Games.
However she faces stiff competition from her long-time rival Kim Yu-na of South Korea.
Seiko Hashimoto was Japan’s last medal winner. The former speed skater and team leader said the athletes needed to believe they could do it.
[Seiko Hashimoto, Former Olympian]: (Female, Japanese)
"We expect the fight to be tough at the Vancouver Olympics where the world's top athletes will be getting together but I ask all of you athletes not to be daunted by this and believe in yourself and concentrate in the competitions."
The opening ceremony is set for February 12th.