Lausanne, Switzerland, January 21, 2020: Japan completed a fairytale run to win the women’s ice hockey title at the Winter Youth Olympic Games on Tuesday, beating defending champions Sweden 4-1 in the final.
Both sides had been unbeaten on the road to the final, but - up against a team who had won the last two Youth Olympic titles - the Japanese went in as underdogs.
In defying the odds they also made history by becoming the first Asian team to win gold in an Olympic ice hockey competition.
“I’m so proud and so pleased that this is the outcome of our teamwork,” said Rio Noro, who was assisted by twin sister Riri Noro in scoring her team’s second goal. “My team really wanted to win gold today.”
Japan turned the game around in the second period as they posted eight shots on goal while Sweden had none. The line combination of Minami Kamada, Hina Shimomukai and Makoto Ito formed a particularly potent attacking trio.
“Sweden played better in the first period but after that we tried to fight back,” said Shimomukai, who scored two goals and assisted one.
By the time Shimomukai added an empty net goal with less than two minutes to go, her teammates – and a packed arena backing the Japanese – celebrated the imminent triumph.
Defeat for the Swedish stung. Many left the ice sobbing, the shimmer of a silver medal around their necks providing little consolation.
Sweden captain Nicole Hall, who scored her side’s only goal in the last minute of the first period, said: “The Japanese are very fast and strong, and were better than us today. It doesn’t feel good.”
Source: Olympic Information Service
