Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Countdown Event at International School

The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government held a countdown eventtitled "Everyone's Start! 2000 Days to Go!!"at the Tokyo International School in Minato Ward on March 5th, marking 2000 days until the 2020 Paralympic Games.

The school opened in 1995. Coeducational and non-denominational, it currently enrolls 320 students from over 50 countries, from preschool through middle school. The event was held at the school to foster mutual understanding across languages and generations about the enjoyment and depth of sports for people with disabilities.

 

At the start, Tsuyoshi Yanagidate, Deputy Director of the Communications Bureau for the Organizing Committee, addressed approximately 20 children participating in the event: " Blind footballhas been confirmed as an official sport for the 2020 Games. Today, I hope you enjoy experiencing the players' techniques and the sport itself. I hope Tokyo and Japan become a world where everyone can cooperate with each other, regardless of nationality, gender, age, or disability."

From left: Mr. Miura, Athlete Kato, Mr. Kitazawa

At the venue gymnasium, three individuals appeared wearing T-shirts of different colors: Kento Kato, a player for the Japanese national blind soccer team, and former Japanese national soccer team members Go Kitazawa andAtsuhiro Miura.

The children joined the three athletes, wearing the sound-emitting balls and blindfolds used in the sport. They practiced passing and dribbling, experiencing both the difficulty and the fun of controlling the ball while deprived of sight.

When Kato scored a powerful goal during a demonstration, cheers erupted from the children.

The children shared their thoughts: "It was hard but fun," and "I was shocked by how capable people with disabilities are." Kato addressed them, saying, "I hope you'll challenge yourselves without fear. Please feel the importance of taking on challenges."

 

The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee's official website ( http://tokyo2020.jp ) is currently featuring a special dialogue between Kato and Kitazawa , "Go Kitazawa × Kento Kato: Passing the Torch to 2020" (5 episodes total), commemorating 2000 days until the 2020 Paralympic Games.