Tomoki Sato Grabs Gold Medal in World Para Athletics Championships, London
The World Para Athletics Championships ongoing, Day 3, in London, Japan's Tomoki Sato of World-AC won a gold medal and Hirokazu Ueyonabaru (SMBC Nikko Securities) a bronze in men's 1500m (wheelchair T-52), July 16. Sato had won 2 silver medals in Rio. Sato clocked 3:45:89 to renew the Meet record. That was the first gold medal won by Japan in the meet.
In women's 200m dash (visual impairment T-13), Japan's Mina Sasaki (Toho Bank) placed 5th at 26:36 renewing her Japanese record trailed by Tomomi Sato (Toho Bank) 6th.
In women's 100m dash (amputation T-42), Kaede Maekawa of Team KAITEKI) finished 5th.
On Day 2, the previous day, July 15, Shinya Wada (Kamogawa Partners) had won a bronze medal in men's 5000m (visual impairment T-11) at 15:54:29 and Masahiro Taniguchi (Kinki Para Athletics Association) 6th. Yuka Takamatsu (Sakai Fines) had clocked 29:26 to place 6th in women's 200 dash (cerebral palsy), Yukiko Kato (SMBC Nikko Securities) 26.48m in the final of women's javelin throw (amputation, etc. F-26).
Meanwhile, in women's running long jump (amputation, etc. T-47) on Day 2, Maya Nakanishi (Uchinou Orthopedic Surgery), who had represented Japan in Rio, placed 3rd with 5.00m for a bronze medal - the first medal won by Japan in the championships. Saki Takakuwa (Avex) came 5th with 4.80m.
Hajimu Ashida (Toyota Motors) clocked 11:80 for 7th in preliminary 2 and dropped out of the race; so did Kazumi Nakayama (Accenture) finished 7th in women's 1500m with 3:30:29.
The World Para Athletics Championships in London is, by all means, the biggest sporting event of the year. London 2017 is for the first time hosting both the IAAF World Championships and the Para Athletics Championships in the same summer. (Nathan Shiga)
Source: Nikkei
