Latest news with #LondonOlympics
Yomiuri Shimbun
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Hitomi Obara, Japan's Wrestling Legend, Suddenly Dies at 44
Women's wrestling legend Hitomi Obara, a gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics and eight-time world champion, has suddenly died, sources close to her said on Saturday. She was 44. The Self-Defense Force Physical Training School (PTS), where Obara was serving as women's coach, said she died on Friday. The PTS said it was withholding the cause of death 'out of consideration for the privacy and emotions of the bereaved family.' Obara, a mother of two, was born in the wrestling hotbed of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and helped make Chukyo Women's University (now Shigakkan University) the premier women's wrestling power in Japan. From 2000 to 2008, she won six world titles at the non-Olympic weight of 51 kilograms under her maiden name of Sakamoto. She attempted to make the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 55-kilogram class, but was thwarted both times by Chukyo teammate Saori Yoshida. Devastated, she retired in 2008, but returned in 2010 with the aim of qualifying for the London Olympics in the 48-kilogram. Paving the way was the fact that her younger sister Makiko, a two-time world bronze medalist at 48-kg whom she never wanted to supplant on the national team, decided to retire in 2009. The drop to 48-kg entailed great difficulty in cutting and maintaining her weight, but Obara, who got married in 2010, went on to win world titles in 2010 and 2011. She then took the gold in London with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Azerbaijan's Mariya Stadnyk, after which she retired for good. In a visit back to her junior high school in January last year, Obara told the students, 'If you keep doing what you love to do and never give up, you can achieve your dream.' After retirement, Obara stayed on at the PTS as the women's coach. She also became a director of the Japan Wrestling Federation, and in June, was appointed coach of the women's national team along with fellow Hachinohe native and four-time Olympic champion Kaori Icho for the run-up to the Los Angeles Olympics. In 2022, she was inducted in the United World Wrestling's Hall of Fame along with Yoshida and Icho.
20-07-2025
- Sport
Ex-Japanese Wrestler Hitomi Obara Dies at 44
News from Japan Sports Jul 19, 2025 22:47 (JST) Tokyo, July 19 (Jiji Press)--Former Japanese wrestler Hitomi Obara, who won the women's 48-kilogram wrestling gold in the 2012 London Olympics, died on Friday, informed sources said Saturday. She was 44. The cause of her death and other details are unknown. The native of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, joined the Self-Defense Forces after college. Obara once retired from wrestling, after failing to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She returned to competition in 2010 and achieved her long-held goal of winning an Olympic gold medal in London at age 31, in her first Olympic Games. Obara also won the World Championships eight times, including back-to-back titles in the 48-kg class in 2010 and 2011. Following the London Olympics, Obara retired from competition and focused on coaching younger wrestlers. In 2022, she was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame, alongside Kaori Icho and Saori Yoshida, both from Japan. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Two UK coins in circulation that could be worth more than £3,000
An expert shared two specific details that make these coins especially valuable Brits have been told to look out for two highly-sought after coins that are still in circulation. These pieces combined could be worth more than £3,000 to collectors. At first glance these coins may appear ordinary but two small features make them especially valuable. In a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, an expert known as the Coin Collecting Wizard shared two coins to spot. Firstly, he explained more about a 50p coin from 2011. This piece was created to mark the 2012 London Olympics. Known as the aquatics coin, it depicts a swimmer on its reverse side - also known as the tail side. He said: 'The aquatics 50p coin from the 2011 London Olympic series is one of the rarest and most sought after 50p coins among collectors thanks to a striking error on an early version.' However, it is only the version in which water lines are seen over the swimmer's face that is valuable. He continued: 'The design which features a swimmer in water originally showed lines of water crossing over the swimmer's face. 'This was quickly corrected by the Royal Mint with later coins showing the swimmer's face clearly without lines over it. Only a small number of the original 'lines over face' coins were released into circulation before the change, making them extremely rare and highly valuable, with examples selling for hundreds or even thousands of pounds at auction. 'If you're lucky enough to find one in your change, it's definitely worth holding on to.' In August last year an example of this coin sold at online auction for £3,766. Next, the expert alerted his followers to a valuable 20p coin. This coin is particularly unusual due to the fact it does not show its date year of 2008. He said: 'The famous undated 20p coin is a rare and valuable error from 2008, caused when the Royal Mint accidentally struck some coins with the new obverse front showing the Queen's head alongside the old reverse back design of the Tudor Rose, which didn't include a date. 'As a result these coins were released into circulation without any date at all making them Britain's first undated circulating coin in over 300 years. It's estimated that around 200,000 of these slipped into circulation.' This rare 20p coin can be sold for around £50 on average, although they do sell for much higher. One was sold £203 in March this year and another fetched £172 in the same month.
NDTV
15-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Fortuner That Hit And Killed Marathoner Fauja Singh Identified: Cops
The car which hit 114-year-old marathon runner Fauja Singh on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway and sped away has been identified almost 24 hours after the incident, cops said. The world's oldest marathoner died in the accident. The cops, using CCTV footage, have identified a Punjab-registered white Toyota Fortuner, which was allegedly involved in the hit-and-run, but a search is still on for the driver. Multiple teams have been formed to identify the accused who rammed Fauja Singh. The legendary runner suffered head injuries in the incident and died in the hospital. Mr Singh, popularly known as 'Turbaned Tornado', was a global icon. He was born on April 1, 1911 and lived through history, witnessing two world wars, two global pandemics, and India's partition in 1947. In the 90s, he moved to England to live with one of his sons. The death of his son Kuldip and his wife forced him to search for a worthwhile alternative in life. Age was never a barrier for him. In 2000, at the age of 89, he made his debut at the iconic London marathon, which grabbed the world's attention. He went on to participate in Toronto, New York, and other cities within his age group. He was a torchbearer for the 2004 Athens Games and 2012 London Olympics, and appeared in an advertisement for a major sports brand alongside legends like David Beckham and Muhammad Ali. In 2012, Malaysia organised the 2nd Annual Chardikala Run with the theme of "101 and running". The event was a tribute to Fauja Singh's achievements, and he was honoured with the BrandLaureate Award. In 2013, Fauja participated in the Hong Kong marathon, where he completed the race in 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 28 seconds. Following this, he announced his retirement from running at the age of 102. However, he continued running for his well-being and charitable causes. People from the sporting community and political leaders mourned Fauja Singh's death. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Fauja Singh Ji was extraordinary due to his unique personality and his approach to inspiring India's youth on the crucial topic of fitness. He was a remarkable athlete with unwavering determination. His passing has caused great sorrow. My condolences are with his family and his countless admirers around the world." Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "I am deeply saddened by the passing of centenarian marathon legend, the globally celebrated 'Turbaned Tornado,' Fauja Singh ji. His life, a testament to unwavering determination and unbridled resilience, serves as a profound inspiration for fitness enthusiasts, aspiring athletes and the young and old alike." "My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and admirers," he added.
NDTV
15-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Of Tragedies And Tenacity: The Fauja Singh Story
It's never too late to start over, goes the old adage and if ever there was proof needed that it actually isn't, one could always marvel at the life of Fauja Singh. The widely-admired 114-year-old, whose career as a marathon runner began when he was 89 and propelled him to the status of a global icon, died on Monday night. It was a heartbreakingly abrupt end despite his age. He was hit by a yet-to-be-identified vehicle while out for a walk at Beas Pind, his native village in Jalandhar. The frail man, who weathered many a personal storms with his resilience and "nonchalance", had spent a better part of his running career in Britain and returned to his roots just about three years ago after retiring. "We would always tell him that someone his age running in India would always run the risk of being hit given how reckless the driving here is. This is what ultimately happened unfortunately," said his biographer Khushwant Singh, whose book 'The Turbaned Tornado' documents the celebrated runner's life. Fauja's story of strength began long after time slows down for most, especially those who have been mauled by the life's many tragedies. He too was battling demons of his own. Overwhelmed by the loss of his youngest son in the mid '90s, Fauja found solace in running with a local club in Essex after moving out of India following the death of his wife and daughter. "The villagers would tell one of his sons to take him to the UK because he would keep visiting the cremation ground and sit there for hours. So, eventually he moved to Ilford (a town in east London)," said Khushwant. Once there, Fauja endured another loss before he chanced upon a running club. And what started as a hobby to take his mind off the circumstances that threatened to consume him, became the driving force of his life. He went on to run marathons, including the famed ones in London, New York and and Hong Kong, and inspire awe for clocking some brilliant timings for a 90-plus man born with weak legs. In the process, he also became a torch-bearer at the 2012 London Olympics and was honoured by the late Queen Elizabeth II for his contribution to sport and charity. "Before that meeting with the Queen we had to repeatedly counsel him 'Baba, Queen naal sirf hath milana hai, japphi ni paani jinwein baccheyan nu tussi paande ho' (Baba, you have to only shake hands with the Queen, don't hug her like you hug kids when you meet them)," Khushwant, whose long association with the centenarian started in 2005, recalled. "But jokes apart, he was a very resilient man with a lot of earthy wisdom. He could not read in general but could identify numbers because for him they were designs that he had memorised. "He was also someone who had no greed. Every rupee he earned by running marathons went to charity. Once he became famous, people would walk up to him to give money even in Gurudwaras but he would straightaway put that money into the donation boxes there," he said. Like a true blue large-hearted romanticised Punjabi, Fauja loved his pinnis (sweet balls of ghee, flour, and jaggery dotted with dry fruits) and the occasional strawberry shake from McDonald's. But he was also a disciplined runner who would train vigorously before his races. Among the most memorable of his runs was in 2011 when he turned 100. The invitational meet in Toronto was named in his honour and he broke several world records for his age group. But none of them were taken into consideration by Guinness World Records as he did not have a birth certificate to prove his age. "He was not bothered by any of that. He just enjoyed the attention that he got. I once asked him 'Baba, maran ton darr lagda? (Baba, are you afraid of death?). He said 'haan, bilkul lagda. Haje te mele shuru hoye ne (Yes, of course. The fun has only started for me)," Khushwant said, remembering one of their conversations on mortality. "He was a simple man but understood with clarity, the importance of fitness and training. Even two years back, he was gracious enough to join a run against drug addiction," he added. In the end, Fauja lived up to the values that his name reflected. He fought the battle of life with the resolve of a soldier. "He travelled the world but never once bothered to ask about who would take care of his stay and other requirements. He just had confidence in the system and so many times, when I was with him, he would simply say 'Sangat saambh laigi' (the community will take care of me)." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
