Figure Skating

VANCOUVER - Japan's figure skating star Mao Asada has captured her first honour at the Winter Olympics by having a hot dog named after her by a street vendor.

The Mao dog, which boasts gold and red-coloured maple leaves made out of yuba (a type of dried tofu skin), is the brainchild of Noriki Tamura whose husband runs the family stand.

"Why? Because I am Japanese. We hope she will get the gold medal," Tamura told the Vancouver Sun.

Another store in the city has been selling the Mao roll since last February, when Asada was competing at the International Skating Union's Four Continents competition.

The roll, which features salmon, raw shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, crabmeat and asparagus, was designed with the help of the skater herself, claimed store manager Hitomi Ishikura.

"We came up with some samples, but she didn't like avocado," said Ishikura.

"Eventually, we settled on two rolls combined into the shape of a heart. She likes hearts and autographs her name with a heart."