Godaira on ice, announces retirement… “I will meet and talk to Lee Sang-hwa.”

[올림픽] ‘Beautiful consolation’

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Nao Kodaira (36), the national speed skater from Japan, who competed in good faith with Lee Sang-hwa (33, retired) at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, announced her retirement.

At a press conference held in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan on the 12th, Godaira said, “I will be retiring for the last time in the women’s 500m event at the All Japan Championships to be held in October.”

He said, “The reason I decided to hold the All-Japan Championship as a retirement event is because the venue is (hometown) Nagano,” he said.

With tears in her eyes, Godaira added, “After retirement, I want to help the local community.”

Kodaira is considered the best female sprinter in Japanese speed skating history.

She made a name for herself by accumulating splendid achievements, such as winning the women’s 500m 25 times in a row at international competitions and winning the women’s 500m at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Above all, Godaira received a lot of love from fans in both Korea and Japan for her friendship with Lee Sang-hwa.

The two athletes maintained such a tight tension that they did not call their names until the women’s 500m race at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, but they hugged each other immediately after the match and gave a deep impression by giving encouragement and consolation.

Godaira won a gold medal and Sanghwa Lee won a silver medal, but the color of the medal was not important to the two players.

At a press conference on the same day, Godaira was asked, “Have you informed Lee Sang-hwa about your retirement?” and said, “I haven’t told Sang-hwa about her retirement yet.”

The friendship between the two athletes also shined at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Lee Sang-hwa, who turned into a commentator, shed tears when Godaira finished 17th in the women’s 500m, “I thought I would overcome the weight of a heavy crown, but the psychological pressure seems to be really great.” .

Godaira’s message

On this day, Godaira delivered a message to Lee Sang-hwa through her social media hours before the retirement press conference.

“I bought a lot of Japanese sweets to send to Sang-hwa,” he wrote, “Wait for Sang-hwa.”

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