Nao Kodaira, a Pyeongchang Olympic gold medalist in speed skating who is responsible for conveying her experience to athletes at the Youth Olympic Games being held in South Korea, interacted with young Japanese athletes and gave advice.
The purpose of the Youth Olympics is not only to compete, but also to educate young athletes, and former top athletes with extensive experience in international competitions serve as ``athlete role models'' to share their experiences.
On the 23rd, Mr. Kodaira, a participant from Japan, visited the facilities in the Olympic Village and interacted with Japanese athletes.
During this session, freestyle skier Kisubu Sugawara asked him, ``What should I do to not get nervous before a competition?'' Kodaira answered, ``Rather than start by inhaling, take a deep breath. "If you start from scratch, it will take the pressure off your shoulders, so give it a try," he advised.
Kodaira then said, ``Results are important, but I want you to make friends with athletes from all over the world and enjoy the competition,'' to which Sugawara replied with a smile, ``I'll enjoy it.''
Kodaira said, ``The most important thing I want to convey to young players is that the world they see on a daily basis is not everything.The experience of trying to understand different cultures around the world and trying to understand each other will definitely help you grow as a person. I think it will be a great material for future research.''