— スポーツ

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Speed skating has become a sport where Japan is very strong. Over the weekend, several Japanese skaters did very well at the World Cup Final which took place in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the U.S. Because the city is 1,400 meters above sea level, the thin air helps skaters to skate faster than usual. In the 2002 Winter Olympics, for example, many world records were broken. Yesterday, Takagi Miho skated in the women’s 1500-meter race and showed the world that she was the best. She set a new world record for the 1500-meter race when she broke the old record by more than one second. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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Some athletes just keep on going, and Miura Kazuyoshi is one of them. He has just signed a contract to play another year of professional soccer. That makes him the oldest professional soccer player in history, not just in Japan but in the whole world. He went to Brazil when he was 15 years old because he wanted to play soccer, and he made his debut at the age of 19. He was already playing professional soccer when the J League started. He has been playing professionally for more than 30 years! It must be rough playing with so many young players, but I hope he has a great season. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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