Olympic 4x100m Relay Anchor Asahara Tells Company Supporters "The Baton's Whereabouts Are Unknown. Somebody Please Find It."

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20080901-00000966-san-spo

translated by Brett Larner

Beijing Olympics men's 4 x 100 m relay bronze medal winner Nobuharu Asahara (36, Team Osaka Gas) appeared at a press conference at Osaka Gas' head office on Sept. 1, joyfully telling reporters, "It was 10 seconds of the purest satisfaction in my life, my greatest Olympics."*

After watching the race again on a large screen at the press conference, Asahara spoke to the packed crowd of over 500 Osaka Gas employees and journalists. Asked about the widely-televised scene of Asahara throwing the team's baton into the air in joy the moment the results appeared and Japan's bronze medal was secured, he laughingly appealed to the public, saying "[Japan's gold-medal] softball team's winning ball came back with them, but the baton's whereabouts are unknown. If somebody finds it please get in touch."

*Translator's note: Asahara is a four-time Olympian.

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