AFP, Tokyo :
Japan will bank on “mental toughness” to win a best-ever medal haul at the Rio Olympics as they look to build a solid platform for the 2020 Tokyo Games, their Rio team leader said.
From Asian swim king Kosuke Hagino to wrestling’s iron lady Saori Yoshida, Japan boast strength across the board and the country’s Olympic chiefs have targeted a record number of medals, including at least 14 golds.
“Rio is an important stepping stone for the Tokyo Olympics,” Japan’s chef de mission Seiko Hashimoto told AFP in an interview.
“We won 38 medals in London, although only seven were gold. We want to improve on that, and to surpass 14 gold medals.”
