By Lee Kyoung Mi and Lee Jihae

"I am where I am because of you, Nao, and vice versa." (Lee Sang-hwa's text to Nao Kodaira)
"When I saw Sang-hwa's message, I realized that both of us had matured as players and humans. We've supported and learned so much from each other."

Champion speed skater Lee Sang-hwa and Japanese counterpart Nao Kodaira on April 7 received the inaugural Korea-Japan Friendship Award from the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation at the Westin Chosun Seoul Hotel.

The foundation preserves and enhances the intangible and tangible legacies of the Winter Olympics. The award received by both skaters is the organization's first project and was made specifically for the two competitors.

In last year's PyeongChang Olympics, Kodaira won the gold medal in the women's 500 meters and Lee won the silver. Their hug after the race, considered one of the highlights of the Winter Olympics, symbolized how friendship can transcend nationality and rivalry.

Saying she had never received a friendship award before, Lee said, "Nao gave me the strength to challenge myself again when I was about to become mentally weak," adding, "I was able to mature through the PyeongChang Winter Olympics thanks to Nao."

"We will continue contacting and looking after each other even in our old age."

Kodaira said, "I didn't think that the sight of us congratulating each other after the event would receive so much public attention. For us, cheering and supporting each other are just very ordinary and everyday things we do."


The two athletes sat next to each other as they talked and took photos at the ceremony. Kodaira burst out laughing when Lee taught her how to make a heart shape using two fingers.

Foundation head Ryu Seung-min said, "The friendship between the two represents the goal of the Olympics. We hope it serves as a paragon for the enhancement of the Olympic legacy, especially since Korea will pursue several projects with Japan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics."

km137426@korea.kr