Human Potential Knows NO LIMITS! Experience Paralympic Sports Event Held

With just over 1,200 days remaining until the Tokyo Paralympics, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government held "No Limits Special 2017 Ueno" on May 6 and 7 at Take-no-dai Plaza in Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo. This largest-scale event in Japan allowed participants to experience Paralympic sports. (Supported by: Japan Paralympic Committee, Taito Ward; Cooperation: Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games; Project Cooperation: Meiji, LIXIL, Ajinomoto, Tokyo Metro, Japan Airlines, JR East, Mitsubishi Electric).

This event was a special edition of the Tokyo Metropolitan Paralympic Sports Experience Program "NO LIMITS CHALLENGE," which is held at various locations throughout Tokyo. It was the second installment following "NO LIMITS SPECIAL GINZA & TOKYO" held in May 2016 ( http://dentsu-ho.com/articles/3981 ).

At the opening ceremony on the first day, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike stated, "I experienced the excitement of boccia at the Rio Paralympics and established a team at the Metropolitan Government. I hope you will experience the appeal of Paralympic sports at this event and help build excitement for the 2020 Games. I also have a major goal: to transform Tokyo into a city where people with disabilities can live and work more easily by the time of the Games." She declared the opening, saying, "There are no limits to human potential. Let's all do our best!"

Following this, the "Challenge the Paralympians! Five-Match Showdown" took place on the stage and in the main arena. Paralympians and Olympians performed exhibition events in five disciplines: powerlifting, athletics (racers, high jump), shooting, and wheelchair tennis. Governor Koike also worked up a sweat playing wheelchair tennis and earned cheers from the crowd by scoring points in her first-ever shooting experience.