Suguri, Arakawa, Ando, Takahashi get Olympic berths

Suguri, Arakawa, Ando, Takahashi get Olympic berths

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Daisuke Takahashi, Fumie Suguri, Shizuka Arakawa and Miki Ando wave to spectators after being selected for the Winter Olympic Games in Turin in February.

National Sports Festival gets under way in Miyagi

National Sports Festival gets under way in Miyagi

RIFU, Japan - Yoshinobu Miyake, a weightlifting gold medalist in the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico City Olympics, lit the symbolic flame of the 56th annual National Sports Festival at Miyagi Stadium on Oct. 13. Miyake holds 8-year-old Shizuka Ando at the opening ceremony held under clear skies with about 31,000 spectators. Competition in the five-day meet begins Sunday.

Slutskaya gets top prize, Arakawa 2nd at Japan Int'l Challenge

Slutskaya gets top prize, Arakawa 2nd at Japan Int'l Challenge

TOKYO, Japan - Reigning figure skating world champion Irina Slutskaya (C) of Russia takes the top honor at the Japan International Challenge at Higashifushimi Ice Arena in Tokyo on Oct. 1. Japan's Shizuka Arakawa (L) placed second and compatriot Miki Ando (R) third. (Kyodo)

Suguri, Arakawa, Ando, Takahashi get Olympic berths

Suguri, Arakawa, Ando, Takahashi get Olympic berths

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Daisuke Takahashi, Fumie Suguri, Shizuka Arakawa and Miki Ando wave to spectators after being selected for the Winter Olympic Games in Turin in February. (Kyodo)

Ando wins national women's figure skating championship

Ando wins national women's figure skating championship

NAGANO, Japan - Miki Ando performs in the free skate at Big Hat in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, on Dec. 27, claiming her first victory in the national women's figure skating championship by beating Fumie Suguri (second place) and Shizuka Arakawa (third place) (Kyodo).

National Sports Festival gets under way in Miyagi

National Sports Festival gets under way in Miyagi

RIFU, Japan - Yoshinobu Miyake, a weightlifting gold medalist in the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico City Olympics, lit the symbolic flame of the 56th annual National Sports Festival at Miyagi Stadium on Oct. 13. Miyake holds 8-year-old Shizuka Ando at the opening ceremony held under clear skies with about 31,000 spectators. Competition in the five-day meet begins Sunday.