Japan matches record-high 10 medals in Pyeongchang

February 19, 2018

Pyeongchang, South Korea- The number of medals collected by Japanese athletes in the Pyeongchang Olympics has reached 10, matching the country's record high for the Winter Olympics scored in the 1998 Nagano Games in central Japan.

They include two golds earned over the weekend--one by Yuzuru Hanyu in men's figure skating on Saturday and the other by Nao Kodaira in women's 500-meter speedskating on Sunday.

Hanyu defended the Olympic title he gained in the 2014 Sochi Olympics in Russia to become the first man in 66 years to take two consecutive Olympic golds in figure skating.

Kodaira became Japan's first gold medalist in women's speedskating.

Japan also won five silvers and three bronzes.

Expectations are growing that the number of Winter Olympic medals collected by Japanese athletes will hit a new record in Pyeongchang as they have chances in such upcoming events as women's speedskating team pursuit and men's Nordic combined large hill.

The Pyeongchang Olympics will run through Sunday. Jiji Press