Wrestler…RIP

Yesterday, Japanese professional wrestler 三沢光春 (Mitsuharu Misawa) died.

I’m not a wrestling fan, but 三沢光春 (Mitsuharu Misawa) is famous and he was considered one of the best wrestlers in the world.

What makes this story unusual is that 三沢光春 (Mitsuharu Misawa) died yesterday in the wrestling ring during a main-event tag-team match in 広島 (Hiroshima, Japan).

After receiving a “back drop” during the match, he had a heart attack and became unconscious. The ring announcer asked if any of the spectators were a doctor. There was a doctor in the audience who came into the ring to try to save him…and of course an ambulance was called.

He died in the hospital at about 10:00 PM last night. It happened to be only six days before his 47th birthday.

三沢光春 (Mitsuharu Misawa), R.I.P.
1962 June 18 – 2009 June 13.

Sports News

I’m not a big sports fan, but a few sports-related items were in the news recently. Some good and some bad news.

• Japanese professional wrestler, 山本尚文 (Naofumi Yamamoto), has just been hired by the American World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) company.He’ll begin his training in Florida this month.
• 浅尾美紀 (Miki Asao), the 17-year old younger sister of Japanese beach-volleyball star, 浅尾美和 (Miwa Asao) just died on Friday, 5 Sept 2008, from the serious head injuries she sustained when she was hit by a car while riding her bicycle last August 12th.
• The 2008 Paralympics Games will end today.
  As of this moment, China has the most medals and Japan is in 18th place with 24 medals (5 Gold, 12 Silver, and 7 Silver).

  All of the athletes, whether they won a medal or not, are stars!

  But, Japan’s fifth gold medal was won by 国枝慎吾 (Shingo Kunieda) for wheelchair tennis.