No.152 Reflecting on the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics

Paris Olympics

The event, held for 17 days from July 27 to August 12 Japan time, was conducted in accordance with the reform guidelines "Agenda 2020+5" set forth by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2021, emphasizing environmental consideration and sustainability. The Paris Organizing Committee was strongly aware of the SDGs and aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half compared to the 2012 London Games and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games before the COVID-19 pandemic. In urban areas, they promoted not only public transportation but also bicycle use, connecting venues with 415 kilometers of bicycle paths and dedicated lanes, including existing ones.

The balloon-shaped Olympic flame is also a symbol, and for the first time in Olympic history, flames were expressed using a combination of water and light without using fuel. 95% of the competition venues were existing or temporary facilities, powered by renewable energy, and efforts were made to reduce plastic products that cause marine pollution. In the athletes' village, a cooling system using groundwater was adopted instead of air conditioning, and meals seemed to heavily utilize locally sourced vegetables.

However, there was criticism that placing too much emphasis on environmental aspects led to inconvenience and discomfort for athletes. Complaints included statements like, "It's too hot to sleep. The food isn't good. There's a lack of protein." It seems that some delegations, including those from Japan, managed to cope with simple air conditioners procured through the organizing committee.

What particularly drew attention this time was the improvement of the water quality of the Seine River, which had been banned for swimming 101 years ago, and its use as a venue for events such as triathlons. Despite investing a large amount of money in water purification efforts to leave a legacy after the competition, participating athletes experienced vomiting and diarrhea, leading to health issues and some withdrawing from subsequent races.

In the previous Tokyo Games, which faced significant restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was constant criticism regarding infection control measures and environmental policies, and there was a large movement against holding the event. However, with the start of the Paris Games, there seem to be opinions that the operations during the Tokyo Games were reevaluated as being better.

In the past, it was said that "the important thing about the Olympics is participating," but the recent strengthening of the Japanese delegation has been remarkable, and it now feels like it has become a competition aimed at winning.

The Japanese team won a total of 45 medals in this tournament, including 20 gold, 12 silver, and 13 bronze. The number of gold medals ranks third after the United States and China, while the total number ranks sixth after Great Britain, France, and Australia. This is the highest number of medals won by Japan in an overseas Olympics, and the number of gold medals has reached the target set by the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC). We look forward to the further success of the Japanese team in the future.

On the other hand, this tournament is being held amid ongoing conflicts around the world, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip in the Palestinian territories, raising the question of how to address major powers that ignore the UN resolution of "Olympic Truce."

Paris Paralympics

It was held for 12 days from August 29 to September 9, Japan time.

The Concorde Square, where the opening ceremony was held, was also the stage of the French Revolution. Andrew Parsons, the Chairperson of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), stated, "From the square of revolution, I want to start a revolution that values 'inclusion' as a difference," and at the opening ceremony, he shouted, "Peace!" and greeted, "It is a shame for humanity that we still cannot end war."

In this tournament, similar to the Olympics, the performance of the Japanese delegation was remarkable, winning a total of 41 medals: 14 gold, 10 silver, and 17 bronze.

A major topic in Inagi City is that three local residents and those with ties to the city participated.

Bicycle women's individual road race athlete Yoshiko Sugiura stated, "I can never break the youngest record, but I can create the oldest record again," and true to her word, she won the gold medal, achieving her second consecutive victory since the Tokyo tournament.

Naoki Hagiwara, who was certified as a hometown athlete of Inagi City, participated as a member of the men's goalball national team. At the farewell party held on July 23 at the Community Promotion Plaza, he stated his goal of aiming for a gold medal, and he achieved results just as he said.

Kazuaki Nanano, who was also recognized as a hometown athlete of Inagi City, competed in men's singles and men's doubles table tennis (wheelchair). He advanced to the quarterfinals in both events but unfortunately lost, achieving 5th place in each.

In recent Paralympics, it seems that the level of athletes has dramatically increased with the spread of the competitions, and intricate strategies have become essential.

Conducting long-term training camps at the National Training Center and systematically enhancing skills under the guidance of experts has been a key factor in our success.

The head of the Paralympic Japanese delegation, Aki Taguchi, evaluated the performance of the Japanese team at a press conference summarizing the tournament, stating, "Challenging one's own limits, they embodied the infinite potential of para-athletes."

With the Tokyo Games as a catalyst, the momentum for companies to employ top Paralympic athletes has increased, and it seems that more athletes can now focus on their competitions without financial concerns.

In this tournament, we were moved by the performance of Inagi City's first Paralympian. Thank you! Let's continue to support together as citizens.