From left, Tijana Kawashima Stojkovic, Yui Wago, Jun Mizutani, Misato Michisita and Ayumi Tanimoto are seen after the ceremony for the Mainichi sporting figure awards at the Tokyo Dome Hotel in the capital's Bunkyo Ward, on Dec. 9, 2021. (Mainichi/Naotsune Umemura)

       TOKYO -- The award ceremony for the annual Mainichi sporting figure prizes was held at the Tokyo Dome Hotel in the capital's Bunkyo Ward on Dec. 9, attended by this year's prizewinners including table tennis star Jun Mizutani, who shared the top prize and 1 million yen (about $8,807) with his doubles partner Mima Ito.

       Mizutani, 32, who grew up in Shizuoka Prefecture, said he "didn't expect to team up with" Ito, 21, whom he shares the same hometown with, and described them winning the gold in the mixed doubles table tennis at the Tokyo Olympics as a "miracle."

       The ceremony was also attended by Yui Wago, 13, who received the culture award for her performance in the Tokyo Paralympics opening ceremony; visually impaired marathon runner and Tokyo Games gold medalist Misato Michishita, 44, who received the best athlete award; and Tokyo Olympic staffer Tijana Kawashima Stojkovic, 25, who received a special award.

       Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ayumi Tanimoto joined the ceremony for her late coach and judoka Toshihiko Koga, who posthumously won the achievement award. Ito and skateboarder Momiji Nishiya, 14, who won the rookie award, were absent from the ceremony but expressed their joy via video.

       The prize winners each received a certificate and bronze statuette of Japan's first female Olympic medalist Kinue Hitomi, who was a Mainichi Shimbun reporter, from The Mainichi Newspapers Co. President Masahiro Maruyama.

       (Japanese original by Masaharu Saito, Sports News Department)

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