No.25 After the Tokyo Sports Festival 2013

(Inagi Newsletter November 15, 2013 issue)

The "Sports Festival Tokyo 2013," which began with the 68th National Sports Festival Opening Ceremony on September 28, 2013, concluded with the Closing Ceremony of the 13th National Disabled Sports Festival on October 14, 2013.
This time, the National Sports Festival and the Disabled Sports Festival were operated under a single name for the first time. This is also a demand of the times, and I hope it will be widely accepted in the future.
In Inagi City, the first general meeting of the National Sports Festival Inagi City Executive Committee was held in August 2010, and since then, we have organized a permanent committee and various specialized committees to prepare.
The successful completion of the events in our city is thanks to the many organizations and citizens who participated, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude.
In Inagi City, a unihoc event was held at the Comprehensive Gymnasium on September 15, 2013, and a soft baseball event was scheduled at Inagi Central Park Baseball Field from October 4 to 6, 2013. However, due to heavy rain on the 5th, the afternoon matches were postponed, and the schedule was significantly changed, leading to the 7th being used for the 7th and 8th place playoff. The conditions were not good for the athletes, but the citizens who watched must have felt they gained a day.
All 32 participating teams usually move venues as they progress through the tournament, but for Gifu Prefecture, coincidentally, all four days of matches were held in Inagi City. I thought this was some kind of connection and put in extra effort to support them.
The opening ceremony of the National Sports Festival and the closing ceremony of the Disabled Sports Festival showcased particularly wonderful performances. I believe this is the result of Tokyo's full commitment, and the level was such that it felt like a rehearsal for the Tokyo Olympics, transcending the framework of the National Sports Festival.
Now, what kind of era will it be in seven years? The middle school students who were watching the Sports Festival Tokyo 2013 may be selected as Olympic athletes.
Let's connect the East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction Support Sports Festival Tokyo 2013 to tomorrow's nation-building and the success of the Tokyo Olympics!