NEWS

Nadeshiko Japan midfielder Homare Sawa was named AFC Player of the Year while four other titles went to Japan in the AFC Women’s Awards 2008 on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur.

Sawa, 30, beat her Nadeshiko Japan teammate Aya Miyama and last year’s prizewinner Ri Kum Suk of DPR Korea thanks to her inspirational performances for the Nadeshiko Japan in FIFA and AFC tournaments. Japan reached the semifinals of the Beijing Olympics for the first time this summer.
Miyama, known for her skillful performances, was second runnerup behind Ri.
In the youth category, Japan Under-17 player Mana Iwabuchi won the AFC Women’s Youth Player of the Year. Iwabuchi was named MVP of the recent FIFA Women’s Under-17 World Cup in New Zealand.
Sachiko Baba and Hisae Yoshizawa were named the AFC Women’s Referee of the Year and the AFC Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year, respectively, as Japan swept five of 11 prizes at the ceremony.
Sawa said, “I’m happy to win this wonderful award, but this doesn’t only go to me, but also to my Nadeshiko Japan teammates and all the coaching and technical staff who helped us so much.”
“This is very special for me,” said the Nippon TV Beleza player, who has played 155 times for her country since her debut at the age of 15. “After playing half my life with them, the Nadeshiko Japan is just like my family.”
“Japan played well this year and I put in some good performances. Maybe that’s why they gave this to me. But Ri and Miyama are also great players. I’m honoured to be selected for this prize from among the three of us,” Sawa added.