Japan defeated France 53-51 in the first match of the qualifying league for the Tokyo Paralympics and Wheelchair Rugby.
Captain Ike "I believed in my friends"
Yukinobu Ike, the captain of the Japan national wheelchair rugby team who won the first match with a come-from-behind victory, said, "It was really painful. It wasn't bad today, but I knew I couldn't reach the top with this accuracy, so I'd like to do my best for the next match against Denmark. "
Compete in the most important first match
The Japanese national team, who is aiming to win the first gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics, is ranked 3rd in the world ranking of wheelchair rugby, and the most important thing in the qualifying league was the first match against France, which is 6th in the world.
Daisuke Ikezaki, an ace who participated in the Paralympics for the third consecutive tournament, said, "The Paralympics have a really special atmosphere. Especially in the first game, which is easy to get nervous, you can play as usual without being overwhelmed by the pressure and atmosphere. It's important to be able to create a flow towards the five-day tournament, "he explained.
Japan beat France 51-42 in the adult international tournament, but it is also a crisis that the latest opponent's data is scarce for the actual performance that was reached while not being able to participate in the international tournament for about 1 year and 10 months. I was excited.
Therefore, Ikezaki checks past international tournament games and conducts image training, saying, "I think the tactics have changed, but the individual movements and habits of the players have not changed significantly. This player. I try to keep in mind the characteristics such as who can easily give a pass and when turning back, there are many left. "
As expected by Ikezaki, the match was a difficult one, allowing the opponent to lead in the first half, but he rewound in the final stage and won the game in a come-from-behind victory, making a good start toward the gold medal.