Japanese delegates set for Olympic competition

February 7, 1998

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From the Olympics Toword Tomorrow

Japanese delegates set for Olympic competition

Kenji Ogiwara

The athletes and officials of host country Japan were moved by Saturday's Winter Olympic opening ceremony and then reaffirmed their determination to do their best at the two-week-long competition.

''I felt anew that the Olympics are events of peace and friendship,'' said Japanese delegation chief Yushiro Yagi. ''I'm excited and the time has come to compete and turn in the best performance ever for Japan in the winter games.''

''That was a memorable moment for us and I'm happy to play a great role at such a wonderful ceremony,'' said Nordic combined world champion Kenji Ogiwara, referring to the athletes' oath he gave at the opening ceremony.

Ogiwara, along with flag bearer Hiroyasu Shimizu, led the Japanese delegation into the Minami Nagano Sports Park stadium -- the last of 72 national Olympic committees taking part in the 18th Winter Games in Nagano.

''Bearing the flag made me feel that I represent the spirit of all our delegates as well as Japanese people rooting for us,'' said Shimizu, the current 500-meter world record holder in speed skating.

Ogiwara and Shimizu head the largest ever Japanese delegation into the winter Olympics. The Japanese team is comprised of 166 athletes and 147 officials.

Former notable Winter Olympic athletes from Japan carried the Olympic flag at the ceremony -- including International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Chiharu Igaya, the 1956 Alpine skiing slalom silver medalist and 1972 ski jumping gold medal winner Yukio Kasaya. (Kyodo News)

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