Embracing an Enthusiasm for Sports Following Discovery of Para-Sports Three Years Ago
In the heart of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in 2021, Kyonosuke Morita, host of Toyota Times Sports, found himself "lost for words" as he encountered para-athletes for the first time. Their powerful impact left an indelible mark on him, sparking a three-year journey of deepening his understanding and passion for parasports.
Morita's transformation from unfamiliarity to genuine admiration is not just a professional evolution but a personal one. His coverage on Toyota Times has highlighted the human spirit and the challenges faced by para-athletes, offering audiences a more nuanced and inspiring view of parasports beyond traditional sports reporting.
Former President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Sir Philip Craven, advised Morita to tell the unique stories of Paralympians. Craven emphasised that Paralympians are "amazing human beings and great athletes who have started their impossible many times during their lives."
One such sport that captivated Morita's attention is wheelchair basketball. Unlike traditional basketball, the game uses a point system to decide which 5 players can be on the court at once based on the total points of the weighted impairments. This ensures a fair playing ground, where athletes with more severe impairments have lower points, while those with less limitation have higher points.
Toyota's support for parasports is significant, particularly in providing equipment that can decisively impact competition, especially for athletes with prosthetics or wheelchairs. During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, there were no spectators due to COVID measures, but the Paralympic Games offered a unique and pure form of competition, where athletes performed feats beyond imagination.
Morita's immersive experience also extended to working with Paralympians Keita Sato and Hajimu Ashida, who won Bronze medals at the Rio 2016 4 x 100 meters relay. They helped in broadcasting the Toyota Times Athlete Now show during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
As the Olympic Games Paris 2024 are set to conclude, and the Paralympic Games are scheduled to begin on August 28, Morita continues to share the stories of para-athletes, emphasising the importance of equipment for their performance and the significance of full transparency and satisfaction in the creation of equipment.
In the world of parasports, humans and equipment interplay to compete together. Ashida, for instance, explained the difficulty of long jump for athletes with prosthetics and the importance of treating impairments as personal traits.
Craven described the Paralympic Games as having the "purest form" of sports, where athletes perform feats beyond imagination. This sentiment resonates with Morita, who now sees parasports as a testament to the indomitable human spirit, a competition that is always evolving, focusing on competing on a fair ground, not equal but fair.
Morita's journey is a testament to the power of parasports to inspire, educate, and transform. As the Paris 2024 Paralympics approach, audiences can look forward to more inspiring stories from Morita and the para-athletes he covers.
Sports have transformed Morita personally and professionally, portraying the human spirit and challenges faced by parasports athletes in a more nuanced and inspiring light. He highlights the significance of equipment for their performance and the importance of fairness, recognizing that parasports is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and a competition that always evolves.
