Speed skater Miho Takagi, who earned four medals at the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, including the gold in the women's 1,000 meters, was named the winner of the Grand Prix award at the 71st Japan Sports Awards on Monday.
A selection committee, which recognizes the year's exceptional athletes or teams, met at The Yomiuri Shimbun's head office in Tokyo on the day.
Grand Prix winner Takagi, 28, will be awarded 2 million yen, and the Japan Skating Federation will receive 3 million yen.
Ski jumper Ryoyu Kobayashi, 26, who took gold and silver in individual events at the Beijing Games, will receive the special Olympic award. Japan's national soccer team, which advanced to the last 16 at the Qatar World Cup, will also be given a special award. Golfer Taiga Semikawa, 21, who became the first amateur athlete to win the Japan Open Golf Championship in 95 years, will be awarded the encouragement prize.
The annual awards ceremony was established by The Yomiuri Shimbun and cohosted by Nippon Television Network Corp.
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