Japan’s Speed Skating Star Miho Takagi Given People’s Honor Award

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Tuesday presented the People’s Honor Award to retired speed skating star Miho Takagi. After bringing home a total of 10 Olympic medals, including two golds, throughout her speed skating career, the most by any female Japanese athlete competing in the Summer and Winter Olympics, the 32-year-old retired from competition this spring. At a ceremony held at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, Takagi received a certificate of the commendation, a plaque and a 10-piece knife set as a commemorative gift. “I didn’t think that I would be picked to receive (this honor),” she said. “I’m honored to be given such a prestigious award.” The award was previously given to 27 individuals and one team for notable accomplishments in sports, entertainment and other fields, with Takagi becoming the 28th individual to be honored. She was the first ever speed skater to receive the honor, as well as the fifth female athlete. She was also the first winter sports athlete to be honored since figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu. Making her Olympic debut at the 2010 Vancouver Games as a 15-year-old junior high school student, Takagi has boasted 38 individual World Cup wins, the most out of any male or female Japanese skater. She also still holds the world record for the 1,500-meter event. She said that she would not have even thought about the possibility of being honored when she first started speed skating. “I was obsessed with speed skating not because I wanted to win things, but mainly because I wanted to skate really fast and compete on the world stage,” she said. “Being recognized (for my accomplishments) made me feel fortunate that I managed to continue speed skating,” she added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]