In the


men's 100-meter artificial limbs class at the

"Japan Paralympics" where top athletes aiming for the Tokyo Paralympics gather

, 21-year-old Kengo Oshima won a direct confrontation with Shunsuke Itani, the leader in this class. I approached the representative of the Tokyo Paralympics.

[Interview] Sharp polishing closes the gap with the world

A men's 100-meter artificial limb class race in which two young athletes faced each other directly to become the representative of the Tokyo Paralympics. This confrontation was enough to make us feel that the era of fierce competition has arrived in the domestic para-athletics world, where players compete with each other by a hundredth of a second.



It was 21-year-old Kengo Oshima who won the important race in which the winner was closer to becoming a representative.



In the headwind, with a good time of 11 seconds 37, which set his own Asian record at 0 seconds 09, he dismissed Shunsuke Itani, who was 5 years older and had kept the Asian record for more than 2 years until last month, and was replaced by the leading player. Impressed me strongly.



What Oshima talked about after the race was the influence of Itani.



"I was tightened when I saw Mr. Itani feeling well before the race."



On the other hand, Itani expressed his regret when he lost the decisive battle with enough energy.



"Even if I put out my best, I couldn't reach Oshima-kun's back. I'm sorry, but this is my ability."



Still, 11 seconds 66 is a time that Itani hasn't seen for more than a year.



It was a result that was born because the relationship between the two people, who had been competing with each other by a hundredth of a second, enhanced each other.



"There is not enough competition for Para players."



It is a word of a para-athletics person.



It is not uncommon for athletes with high athletic ability to break the Japanese record in a short period of time and reach the top of the nation when they are injured in an accident and jump into the world of para-athletics.



But the problem, officials point out, is that it rarely causes a player to be dragged down from the top again.



Since he has little experience struggling to reach the top, once he loses his position, it is difficult to find a way to recover.



It is common knowledge in the world of top sports that athletes who can compete in the world will grow only in competitions where domestic competition is fierce and they are repeatedly pulled out.



There is no way for para-athletics to develop as a top sport other than expanding the base of parasports and increasing the number of competitors.



When I saw this race, I realized it so strongly.



The world record for this class is in the 10 second range.



There is still a big difference with Oshima's record.



I want Itani to overtake Oshima again, and I also want Oshima to improve his record so that he can't catch up.



I am convinced that continuing such earnest polishing will close the gap with the world, and one day, a Japanese athlete will stand in the center of the Paralympic podium at 100 meters, which is a flower shape on land, and is a shortcut to such a future.