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A High-Level Battle in Silence 2015 Japan Para Goalball Competition
2015 Japan Para Goalball Competition (Organizer: Japan Sports Association for the Disabled (JPSA) Paralympic Committee, Co-organizer: Japan Goalball Association (JGBA), JPSA Official Partners: Japan Airlines, JA Mutual Aid Federation, Tanaka Kikinzoku Group, Tokyo Gas, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Fujicco, Mitsubishi Corporation, Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance, Mitsubishi Electric, Suntory Holdings, Daido Life Insurance, Toppan Printing, Morisawa, Toyota Motor Corporation, Goldwin, East Japan Railway Company) was held from July 31 to August 2 at the Adachi City General Sports Center in Tokyo.
Goalball is a team sport for visually impaired athletes, played separately by men and women. It is a competitive Paralympic sport where teams throw a ball containing bells towards each other's goal. To ensure fairness regardless of the degree of visual impairment, players wear blindfolds. They sharpen all senses other than sight—listening for the sound of the ball rolling, their teammates' calls, and the sounds and movements of their opponents—to compete.
The women's teams from Japan, Russia, Turkey, and South Korea participated in this tournament.
On the first and second days, the preliminary league saw Japan finish with 2 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, leading them to the third-place playoff on the final day. South Korea secured third place by defending the single goal they scored in the first half. The final between Russia and Turkey ended in a thrilling back-and-forth, with Turkey winning 4-3 to claim the gold.
Players rely on the sound of bells in the ball to compete, so matches unfold in silence. Within this stillness, players concentrate their nerves, throwing themselves into defending the goal. This is why goalball is called "a combat sport in silence." Cheering is only allowed during timeouts or halftime when the timer is stopped. At these times, light music plays in the venue, and spectators can cheer freely, clapping along.
During breaks in the matches, visitors were invited to participate in trial sessions. Demonstrations by male players drew gasps of surprise at the speed of the ball. After receiving instruction, participants ranging from children to adults played mock matches, experiencing both the difficulty and the fun. They seemed to gain a sense of the players' high skill level.
Approximately 1,000 visitors attended during the tournament period.
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