Para land Atsushi Yamamoto 21:27 on November 14 in search of medals and beyond
Para-land legend, Atsushi Yamamoto, who faced the World Championship in Dubai in the Middle East. The prosthetic leg jumper leading Japan was in the competition looking at the medal and the things ahead.
(Sports News Department reporter Yosuke Nakano)
I want to spread Para overseas
Two days before the tournament, Yamamoto visited a local Japanese school in Dubai. The children were excited by touching the prosthetic limbs freely and showing off the dash with the prosthetic limbs for competition.
Mr. Yamamoto told the children, “I was able to go to the Paralympic Games and add a minus, even if I lost my foot. When asked why he visited just before the tournament, he said, “I thought it would be a chance for Japanese people overseas to know about Para, Para athletics, and prosthetic legs.
A change in competition
As an athlete, Yamamoto has always sought to be at the top. The Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, which won the second silver medal itself by a long jump, drew a strong feeling toward the medal, saying, “I am regrettable because I worked hard for the gold medal.”
Three years have passed since then.
“So far, I was only interested in a gold medal, but now it ’s not a high priority to get results. The first in the Tokyo Paralympics is“ Getting to know. ”The medal is not the purpose. I came to think that it was a means to "get to know" "
When asked why the idea of competition has changed, “There are many opportunities to“ get to know ”until the Tokyo Paralympics, but there will be fewer opportunities after Tokyo. To improve the environment surrounding Parasports” I thought about what I should do, and I wanted to do as much as I can to “get to know” as much as possible, ”he told us about his strong desire to spread parasports.
Thoughts that reached children
The final that was greeted.
Many Japanese school children rushed to the stand and cheered Yamamoto with Hinomaru.
Yamamoto jumped 6 meters 40 centimeters for the second time and won a bronze medal in 3rd place. I was selected as the representative of the Tokyo Paralympics.
After the game, I rushed to the children and responded to everyone's signatures and commemorative photos.
The children who watched "I was so surprised and cool that I could jump so much"
“I want to go to see the Tokyo Paralympics” and so on.
“I thought I was able to hear the children's cheering and came here. I am very happy because the children who came to cheer me will see the Tokyo Paralympics with interest,” Yamamoto said.
For the Tokyo Paralympics, which was decided by the representative, he said, “It is important to improve my own competitiveness while spreading parasports. I want to do what I can do.” He talked about his desire to spread.