Japan earns record 13 medals in Pyeongchang Olympics

February 26, 2018

Pyeongchang, South Korea- Japan earned a total of 13 medals, including four golds, in the Pyeongchang Olympic Games, which ended on Sunday, with the total number marking a record high for the country in the history of the Winter Olympics.

One of the four golds was won by Yuzuru Hanyu in men's singles figure skating. Hanyu defended the title he gained in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, becoming the second man in 66 years to clinch two consecutive Olympic golds in the sport.

The three other golds were won in speed skating events for women. Nao Kodaira scored a victory in the 500-meter sprint with an Olympic record time of 36.94 seconds, becoming the first Japanese female speed skater to win an Olympic gold.

The Japanese squad of Nana Takagi, her younger sister Miho Takagi, Ayano Sato and Ayaka Kikuchi won the team pursuit event.

Nana Takagi claimed her second gold at the Pyeongchang Games, in the mass start event, which was newly added to the Winter Olympics. She is the first Japanese female athlete ever to claim multiple gold medals in a single Winter Olympics.

The previous record of 10 Winter Olympic medals for Japan--five golds, one silver and four bronzes--was marked at the 1998 Nagano Games in the country.

Japan earned five silver and four bronze medals at the Pyeongchang Olympics.

Ayumu Hirano won a second straight silver in men's snowboard halfpipe, while the Japanese women's curling team of Satsuki Fujisawa, Yurika Yoshida, Yumi Suzuki, Chinami Yoshida and Mari Motohashi earned a bronze, the first Olympic medal for Japan in the sport.

The Winter Olympians' stellar performances in the Pyeongchang Games are expected to boost morale among Japanese athletes toward the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, pundits say.

The next Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing in 2022. Jiji Press