The domestic tournament of the new Paralympic Games Para-Badminton has resumed, and the athletes aiming for the Tokyo tournament have faced the actual battle on the court for the first time in a long time.
Due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection in para-badminton, all domestic and international competitions have been canceled or postponed since February.
As the first round of resumption of the domestic tournament, the highest peak Japan Championship started on the 19th in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture.
As the number of infected people increases nationwide, the tournament is held without spectators, and strict infection countermeasures are taken, such as thorough disinfection and not holding doubles events where players line up on the same courtside.
Approximately 80 athletes from all over the country participated in the tournament, and Ayako Suzuki, who ranked second in the world ranking for the first time in about a year, was in the class with injuries to women's arms. I participated.
Suzuki shook his opponent with a slow and fast shot, and won all three group league games with a straight game count of 2-0 to advance to the semi-finals.
In addition, Daisuke Fujiwara, who participated in a class with a boy's leg injury and ranked 5th in the world ranking, shook his opponent with outstanding shuttle control, and the players aiming for the Tokyo tournament, such as winning the first match straight, got off to a good start. It was.