UEL Academic Paralympics Success with Team Japan
Hero Carousel
Listen to this page
Published
10 October 2024
Share
Sports Therapy academic, Maria Goriup, supported athletes competing in the Wheelchair Fencing discipline, travelling with Team Japan for this Games, as their physiotherapist.
The 2024 Paralympics, hosted in Paris this summer, were an amazing showcase of what incredible athletes can do. Each sport at the Paralympic Games classifies the athletes in various ways, depending on their ability and level of function.
Athlete Anri Sakurai (JPN) competed in the category B competition, where athletes are predominantly classified with spinal cord injuries. In Wheelchair Fencing most athletes compete in two weapons, Sakurai's weapons were Foil and Epee.
Sakurai met the reigning World and Paralympic champion in the semi-finals and narrowly missed her opportunity to win a Paralympic medal by one point, losing 14-15. She unfortunately met the same fate in the repechage match for the bronze medal match, losing again 14-15 to an athlete from South Korea. The closeness of this competition shines a light on how competitive these athletes are, and that at major competitions it is not only a test of physical ability but also mental fortitude to win a major match under pressure.
Despite the tough competition, the team learned a lot from the experience, enjoyed the atmosphere of the Paralympic village and felt privileged to be part of such an amazing showcase of sporting competition. Only time will tell if the team will continue their journey for the next four years at the LA Paralympics in 2028.