1 year until the opening of Tokyo Para Aim for 22 gold medals Targeting a symbiotic society August 25th 5:11

It takes 25 days to start the Tokyo Paralympics. Aiming at the goal of 22 gold medals, it is required to strengthen the players and promote initiatives for a symbiotic society such as barrier-free.

The Tokyo Paralympic Games will be held for 13 days from August 25 of next year, with the highest number ever recorded from 182 countries and territories.

The representative selection is also in full swing, and on May 24, Canoe's Setachi Monica has decided to participate, and so far, 10 people have been selected, including land, wheelchair tennis, and archery.

JPC = Japan Paralympic Committee is aiming for 22 gold medals and is strengthening players, but the competitive power of para athletes is improving in each country, and it is asked how far back from the previous tournament, gold medals, to zero It will be.

Another challenge is whether it will be possible to increase the competition by acquiring medals and realize the goal of filling all venues, thereby leading to the spread of parasports.

On the other hand, in terms of competition management, athletes and spectators with various disabilities from various countries need access to the venue and measures against the heat.

In addition, to achieve a symbiotic society based on the philosophy of the Paralympic Games, it will be asked how far we can proceed with initiatives such as creating a barrier-free environment and promoting understanding of people with disabilities.

The key to the spread of parasports

In order to connect the interest in parasports after the Tokyo Paralympic Games, the key is how far we can achieve the target 22 gold medals and excite the tournament.

The JPC = Japan Paralympic Committee is aiming to acquire 22 gold medals at the Tokyo Paralympic Games and is working to strengthen players by increasing the number of matches with overseas powerhouses.

However, Japan is struggling with gold medals at the last Rio de Janeiro tournament for the first time in the summer, ending at zero, and last year's Asia Para tournament, which was positioned as a prelude to the Tokyo tournament.

In addition, according to a survey conducted by a private foundation last year, about 60% of organizations were expected to shrink their business after 2021, when support from the government and companies is expected to decrease. understood.

On the other hand, Boccia, which won the first silver medal at the Rio de Janeiro tournament, has started a virtuous cycle of dissemination and strengthening as a result of medals, such as the competition population doubling after the tournament and young players appear one after another.

The key to connecting the Tokyo Paralympics to the spread of parasports is to achieve the high goal of 22 gold medals and excite the tournament.

Featured players

These are the players who are expected to play an active part in the Tokyo Paralympics that are approaching one year later.

On the track, in a wheelchair class, Tomohiro Sato, who has a world record at 400 meters and 1500 meters, is aiming to update the record along with the first gold medal.

Misato Doshita, a female marathon visually impaired class, is a silver medalist at the Rio de Janeiro Tournament. Ototoshi marked a new world record.

In addition, Atsushi Yamamoto is a prosthetic class that won a silver medal in the men ’s long jump at the previous tournament. Attention is also paid to Sae Shigemoto, who became a bronze medalist in a class with a disability in the 400m arm of the last competition.

In swimming, Keiichi Kimura, the Japanese ace, won four silver medals and bronze medals in the class with the heaviest visual impairment in the previous tournament.

So far, Takayuki Suzuki, who has won five medals in four competitions, is a world record holder of a 100-meter freestyle boy for the motor dysfunction class.

At triathlon girls, Wakako Tsuchida, who has participated in seven wheelchair classes in summer and winter, and Mami Tani, a class with motor dysfunction, attract attention.

In wheelchair tennis, Shingo Kunieda, who has won two consecutive men's singles in the Beijing and London tournaments, expects the first gold in two tournaments. For girls, Yui Uechi who won the bronze medal at the previous tournament aims for the first apex.

In the team competition, the Boccia Group, which won a silver medal in the previous tournament and last year's world championship, is aiming for the first gold medal centered on captain Hidetaka Sugimura.

Wheelchair rugby won a bronze medal in the previous tournament and won last year's world championship. We aim to be the first apex of the Paralympic Games in the Tokyo Games.