The Torch Comes to Shinonoi (February 6) On February 6, with only one day to go until the Opening Ceremony, the Olympic Torch Relay passed through the Shinonoi neighborhood in the south of Nagano City. Four students from our school joined the relay as support runners, so we were all very excited about the relay. The route was lined with hundreds of people. There were kindergarteners, housewives, students from elementary and high school, and office workers. Some patients in a hospital even cheered out their windows as the torch went by! The local fire department used a ladder truck to raise the Olympic Flag. We thought that was a neat idea. In the warm sunshine, Shuzo Matsuoka--a famous tennis player who once made it to the top eight at Wimbledon--smiled as he carried the torch. The crowd cheered as he passed the flame to Ruy Ramos, a professional soccer player who has competed on Japan's national team. The Torch Relay then made its way from our neighborhood toward Nagano City's Central Square. (Report from Shinonoi Nishi Middle School: Machiko Nakagawa, Shun Okuno)

The support runners from Shinonoi Nishi Middle School

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