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Wheelchair Rugby Experience: Smiles and Cheers
The Japan Disabled Sports Association held a wheelchair rugby experience session at Chiba City Samukawa Elementary School on September 28.
The association regularly conducts its "Disabled Athlete Exchange Caravan" with the aim of letting children experience the appeal of disabled sports and promoting barrier-free mindsets.
This event was held at an elementary school in the city in anticipation of the "Mitsubishi Corporation 2015 IWRF (International Wheelchair Rugby Federation) Asia-Oceania Championship" taking place at Chiba Port Arena from October 29 to November 1.
On the day, six athletes from the Japanese national team, including Ryo Haga, Tomoaki Imai, and Takahisa Yamaguchi, visited the school and interacted with fourth-grade students. The children tried out competition wheelchairs under the players' guidance. Though it was their first time and they struggled to control the chairs, everyone completed the course. While the children were quiet at first, they became excited when they experienced "tackling" – violently colliding wheelchairs – enjoying the loud crashes and impact. When it was the teachers' turn to be tackled, the players didn't hold back, filling the gym with the children's smiles and cheers.
During the demonstration game by the athletes, witnessing their agile movements and the collisions that sometimes led to falls made the cheering grow even more intense. Wheelchair rugby seemed to have captured the children's hearts.
The athletes shared a message: "Even with disabilities, we can play sports like this. Don't give up on challenges you think are impossible." They also invited everyone to come cheer at the tournament. A similar event was held at Municipal Honmachi Elementary School on September 18.
Japan Sports Association for the Disabled (JPSA) website: http://www.jsad.or.jp/
Japan Wheelchair Rugby Federation (JWRF) website: http://www.jwrugby.com/
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