Er, I was out of topic only for the first post . This post is just a correction of that one. Didn't expect Ai to hide her head, lol
[h=1]The Promise[/h] The Yomiuri Shimbun Fujii, 24, has sent letters to her parents during important moments in her life.LONDON--Badminton player Mizuki Fujii promised her parents several years ago that she would take them to the Olympics. She fulfilled that promise--and made history--when she won the silver medal with Reika Kakiiwa at the London Olympics on Saturday. The letter she wrote to her father, Kazutoyo, and mother, Yayoi, when she graduated from middle school reads: "I've always been completely reliant on my father and mother until today. From now, however, I'll be independent and do my best alone in Aomori Prefecture. I would like to return to my hometown three years from now after becoming a new person." At that time, Fujii, who won a national middle school badminton championship, was about to leave her hometown of Ashikita, Kumamoto Prefecture, to study at Aomori Yamada High School, a badminton powerhouse in Aomori Prefecture. Fujii's parents grew vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers in Ashikita, a seafood and agricultural production center. After completing his farmwork, Kazutoyo drove his daughter to and from a badminton club in Kumamoto city--a two-hour trip each way--four days a week. Yayoi, 52, would sit in the front passenger seat and make sure Kazutoyo, 53, did not doze off at the wheel. In March 2006, when Fujii was a second-year high school student, she participated in the national high school badminton invitational championships. In the singles tournament, she was defeated by a rival and finished third. The letter she sent to her father at that time reads: "It's frustrating that I was unable to show you what I'm really capable of. I'm doing my best every day because I want to show you an improved me at the next inter-high school meet." At the meet, Fujii won three titles--in singles, doubles and the team competition. Her partner in doubles was Kakiiwa, who was one year below her at school. After graduating from high school, Fujii returned to her hometown in 2007 as she had promised her parents. She entered Renesas Semiconductor Kyushu Yamaguchi Co. in Kumamoto and joined its badminton club, which belongs to the corporate league. Fujii brought a pair of green teacups for her parents after receiving her first salary. In a letter enclosed with the cups she said: "I'll definitely take both of you to the Olympics. Please look forward to it." In her second year on the corporate team, she reunited with Kakiiwa as a doubles pair. Their familiarity with each other's play and close bond helped them win many matches at international competitions and earned them a ticket to the London Olympics. Fujii, who started playing badminton with her sister's second-hand racket at the age of 5, turned 24 Sunday--the day after the final. Shortly before the final, Yayoi sent her daughter an e-mail. "Enjoy the game as you two always do. I'll also enjoy the Olympics. Go for it!" After the match, Yayoi was proud of the history-making duo. "They played tenaciously in the final, just like they always do. I want to tell them, 'You've done well,'" she said.
This pair will disband after the Japan League in December. Fujii is going to retire. Will Kakiiwa partner with Maeda (if Suetsuna announced her retirement after the Japan League)? What will be the effect if Kakiiwa really partner with Maeda?
Still so young . Here is the gold medal match. [video=youtube;y85g4zMnDTU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y85g4zMnDTU[/video]
It seems that Fujii got injured during the finals today (yesterday Japan time) in the All Japan Championships against Takahashi and Matsutomo. They suspect meniscus injury and a tear of the anterior cruciatum ligament in her right knee. It's unknown how long the recovery will take. Fujii said that she feels sorry that she couldn't finish the game. Even though the game ended like it did, she did not have any regrets.
