Olympics: Arakawa 3rd, Suguri 4th after short program
February 21, 2006Shizuka Arakawa got off to a strong start in the hunt for a podium spot Tuesday after finishing third in the women's short program, while fellow Japanese figure skater Fumie Suguri follows in fourth going into the free skate. Arakawa put on a technically near-flawless performance and earned 66.02 points from the judges, 0.71 adrift of American Sasha Cohen and 0.68 behind Russian world champion Irina Slutskaya.
LEAD Olympics: Arakawa 3rd, Suguri 4th after short program
February 21, 2006Shizuka Arakawa got off to a strong start in the hunt for a podium spot Tuesday after finishing third in the women's short program, while fellow Japanese figure skater Fumie Suguri follows in fourth going into the free skate. Arakawa put on a technically near-flawless performance and earned a personal-best 66.02 points from the judges, 0.71 adrift of American Sasha Cohen and 0.68 behind Russian world champion Irina Slutskaya.
Olympics: Arakawa lifts heavy hearts for Japan in Turin
February 21, 2006Figure skaters Shizuka Arakawa and Fumie Suguri brought huge smiles to Japanese faces Tuesday in the short program, giving their country its best podium shots in a Winter Games that has been a picture of medalless despair. Heavy hearts were lifted as Arakawa came third and Suguri fourth, putting Japan within range of winning its first medals with just five days of competition remaining at the Turin Olympics.
Olympics: Hatakeyama 7th in Nordic combined sprint after ski jump
February 21, 2006Japan's Yosuke Hatakeyama finished in seventh place after the ski jumping portion of the Nordic combined sprint event on another disappointing day for ace Daito Takahashi at the Turin Olympics on Tuesday. Hatakeyama had the best jump among Japanese athletes with a 125.5-meter effort on the 125-meter large hill and trails leader Georg Hettich of Germany by 38 seconds going into the 7.5-kilometer cross country race later in the day. Takahashi could only manage 18th.
Soccer: Ono hoping to bag Japan's 100th goal under Zico
February 21, 2006Midfielder Shinji Ono said he wants to score Japan's 100th goal under coach Zico when the team begins its quest for a third consecutive Asian Cup title against India in a qualifier in Yokohama on Wednesday. ''I've been saying I'm not thinking about it but of course I really want to score the 100th goal,'' Ono told reporters after training Tuesday.
Olympics: Speed skaters flop in men's 1,500
February 21, 2006Teruhiro Sugimori made a brave start in the men's 1,500 meters but ended in disappointment in another medalless day for Japanese speed skaters at the Turin Olympics on Tuesday. Sugimori got off to a solid start but slumped en route to a time of 1 minute, 49.51 seconds to come 24th for the best showing among Japanese skaters at the Oval Lingotto Olympic rink.
Olympics: Takahashi ends miserable Olympics in 15th
February 21, 2006Daito Takahashi's Winter Olympic misery was complete Tuesday after a 15th-place finish in the Nordic combined sprint event, the last Nordic combined event in Turin. After placing 18th in the ski jumping portion, Takahashi, who came to Turin tipped as a possible medal contender for Japan, clocked 18 minutes 19.4 seconds in the 7.5-kilometer cross country race to finish over a minute behind winner Felix Gottwald of Austria.
Olympics: Harada to continue ski jumping career
February 21, 2006Japanese ski jumper Masahiko Harada, whose fifth straight Olympic appearance ended in disappointment, said he will continue his active career and jumping in next year's world championships in Sapporo is his next goal. ''I can't put an end to my career without avenging this disappointment,'' Harada said after Monday's team competition, the last of thee ski jumping events held at the Turin Games.
Table tennis: Fukuhara makes Guangdong switch
February 21, 2006Japanese table tennis star Ai Fukuhara is to join Guangdong from Chinese Super League rivals Liaoning and has already started training with her new team, table tennis sources said Tuesday. According to the sources, Fukuhara's management company, headed by her mother Chiyo, has taken over the Guangdong team, a move that will allow it to gain full control of the player's activities.
Sapporo bows out of 2016 Summer Olympics race
February 21, 2006Sapporo Mayor Fumio Ueda announced Tuesday the city has decided not to seek to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, mainly because of the expected heavy financial burden, rejecting calls from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito party. With the withdrawal of the capital city of Hokkaido, either Tokyo or Fukuoka is likely to be picked in November as the Japanese candidate venue for the 2016 Olympics. Nagoya has already announced its withdrawal from the domestic race to be the Olympic host.
Athletics: Ndereba to run in Fukuoka int'l cross-country meet
February 21, 2006Kenya's Catherine Ndereba, silver medalist in women's marathon at the Athens Olympics, will compete in the 6-kilometer race at the upcoming Fukuoka international cross-country meet, the Japan Association of Athletics Federations said Tuesday. Ndereba has been invited to run in the March 5 event at Umi-no-Nakamichi Seaside Park, while Japan's Kayoko Fukushi, who set a national record in winning the Marugame half-marathon earlier this month, is also entered.