No.150 From Inagi City to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: Breakthrough in sports for the disabled

On July 23rd, a send-off party was held at the Regional Promotion Plaza for the two athletes who have been selected to compete in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. We would like to thank the large number of local citizens who attended.
　
Inagi City established a system in October last year to recognize people with ties to the city (athletes, musicians, artists, etc.) who are expected to make great strides both nationally and internationally as "Inagi City Hometown XX" and to support them throughout the city.
　
Under this system, the two were recognized as the second and third "Inagi City Hometown Athletes," and as they set off on their journey as athletes representing Japan in the Paralympics, the city held a send-off party to support them.
　
Shichino Kazuki is a para table tennis player. He started playing table tennis in junior high school and has been competing in international competitions since 2016. He initially aimed to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in the "standing" category, but fell just short. In his disappointment, he also got injured and was no longer able to compete in the standing category. However, he switched to the "wheelchair" category and his performance improved steadily. After being certified as a hometown athlete in January, he was ranked in the top 10 in the world in April and was selected to compete in the Paralympics.
　
Hagiwara Naoki is a goalball player. He had no problems with his eyesight until high school and was active in the tennis club, but after that, when he went to culinary school, he developed an illness that caused his eyesight to deteriorate. His doctor at the time introduced him to the sport of goalball, and when he went to watch a game, he was invited to start playing by a Japanese national team player of the same generation who was battling the same illness. He quickly showed his talent from the moment he started, and made the national team in just a few years. After being selected to compete in the Paralympics in April, he was certified as a hometown athlete in May.
　
Nanano-san graduated from Wakabadai Elementary School, and Hagiwara-san graduated from Nagamine Elementary School. For the send-off party, video letters were sent from the students of both schools, i.e., the juniors of both men, and were screened on the day. In addition, representative students who attended the party presented each man with words of encouragement, a Japanese flag with messages of support, a tapestry with messages of support, and a bouquet of flowers. Hearing the children's sincere support, I felt my heart warm. It was full of a handmade feeling, and I think it was a truly wonderful send-off party.
　
Both athletes have expressed their ambitions to win medals, and we look forward to hearing about their triumphant return after the tournament.
　
By the way, although they are not included in the Paralympic events, Japanese athletes from Inagi City have been selected to represent Japan in deaf volleyball and deaf rugby, sports for the hearing impaired.
　
Saiju Matsunaga participated in the Deaf Volleyball World Championships held in Okinawa in June, where she defeated the United States to win the championship. She is currently undergoing training at the National Training Center in the hope of being selected for the national team for the Deaflympics to be held in Tokyo next year.
　
Kaede Kishino is a 7-a-side defence rugby player who participated in the first World Championship in 2018 and served as captain in the second World Championship in 2023. The next World Championship is scheduled to be held in 2026, and the team has been on an expedition to South Africa since the end of July.
　
In this way, athletes from Inagi City have been able to flourish all at once, and I would be happy if the Hometown Athlete system could provide some support.
　
Also, after speaking with these athletes, I got the impression that the barriers between the Olympics and the Paralympics, and between able-bodied sports and sports for people with disabilities, are becoming even lower.
　
Nanano-san trains with the Japanese Olympic team at the National Training Center and receives guidance from the coach. Kishino-san was a member of the rugby football club while attending Waseda University, and participated in activities with hearing students.
　
We will continue to support citizens who are involved in various activities, regardless of whether they have a disability or not, or in the field of sports!