A 109-year-old grandmother, Kagawa Shigeko, was one of the Olympic torchbearers as the 2020 Olympic Games count down with less than 100 days to the start of the rescheduled event.
Shigeko carried the Olympic Torch Relay in Nara her hometown which is filled with emotional moments, according to the official Olympics website.
Kagawa fulfilled her dream of participating in the Olympics after carrying the torch through a location that is home to historic treasures such as the Kinpusenji Temple.
The 109-year-old grandmother lived through five eras and pledged last year to see and participate in the Tokyo Olympics.
She ran with the flame through the streets of Nara, Kagawa has devoted herself to her community, working as a doctor in the areas of obstetrics and gynecology. She was accepted as a torchbearer after her granddaughter wrote a poignant letter to the organisers.
Part of the letter read, “My grandmother, who saved many lives and contributed to the community, is working hard every day and says that she really wants to see and participate in the Tokyo Olympics. Please make this 109-year-old’s dreams come true.”
“As a torchbearer, I would like to express my gratitude for the long and healthy life that I am able to lead in this new era of harmony, and for the support of the local community,” she said.
