Saori Yoshida, who has captured five consecutive world wrestling titles, captured a prestigious national honor on Thursday, when she collected the Grand Prix prize at the 57th Japan Sports Awards.
In 1956, Shozo Sasahara was the last wrestler to win the award. Yoshida, a winner of 115 consecutive matches, is the third grappler and first female to take home the prize. She will also receive a check for ¥2 million.
Forty-nine national federations nominated individuals and teams for the award. Then a panel of 15, including IOC members Chiharu Igaya and Shunichiro Okano, chose the winner.
The other nominees were golf phenom Ryo Ishikawa, who became Japan's youngest pro tour winner at age 15; the Urawa Reds, who earned their first Asian Champions League title; figure skater Miki Ando, who picked up the gold medal at the World Figure Skating Championships in Tokyo; and marathon runner Reiko Tosa, who placed third in the women's race at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka.