It was the 14-year-old third-year junior high school student who brought the silver medal, the first medal to Japan, at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Miyuki Yamada won the silver medal in the motor dysfunction class of the women's 100-meter backstroke.

Behind the smile that I showed after the final is the strength of the core to face myself greedily to achieve the goal.

The turning point is "classification"

Yamada has no arms since he was born and has a disability in both legs.

In interviews, he always talks about his honest thoughts with unique expressions.



"Swim like wakame seaweed. I'm more of a kelp sect."


"If you get a medal, you'll probably jump. I think one or two screws on your head will come off."

Yamada is bright and humorous when he leaves the competition, but there was a big turning point last year.

By classifying the degree of disability, it became a class with more severe disabilities.



Until then, I specialized in freestyle swimming, but since the only Paralympic event in the new class is backstroke, I started practicing backstroke in earnest.



Then it grew rapidly in a short time.

In March, he took a 100-meter backstroke, shortening his own record by more than 8 seconds and breaking the Japanese record.

The time at this time marked the time equivalent to the silver medal at the 2019 World Championships, and jumped into the medal candidate of the Tokyo Paralympics.

"Selflessness is the basis of laziness"

Why was it able to grow so rapidly?


There was a hint in the words that are inscribed on the right side.


That word is Eiichi Shibusawa's words, "Selflessness is the basis of laziness."



"I think it's because of that unselfish is not doing seriously. When was I there is a feeling that" I want to take a medal ", everything also want to toward obediently to his wish to do in earnest"



when the story so The expression was the face of an athlete who didn't feel the age of 14 years old.



While I was in the third year of junior high school and refraining from taking the high school exam, I practiced for an hour and a half every day while balancing my studies.

The final that I enjoyed with a smile

The Tokyo Olympics have arrived.


In the morning qualifying, he said, "I was so nervous that I trembled in the water," but decided to advance to the final with a time of 3rd overall.



And the final that "Let's open up and have fun with a smile".

With the strengthened start, he took the lead at once and competed with the winning Singaporean player for the top.


In the second half, although he was able to make a difference, he did not give up second place and won the silver medal with a good time approaching 0 seconds 80 to his personal best.



"I'm inevitably high when I'm swimming, but I've used my head calmly, calmly, and the most I've ever used."



I could see through the mask that there were a lot of smiles.



Yamada has left his favorite 50-meter backstroke in this tournament.



"Next time I'll update my personal best and I'm a little embarrassed, but I want to win a gold medal."