Akaishi and Furusawa (from the left in the front row), Takatsugu and Toriumi (from the left in the back row) who received the Yokohama City Sports Honor Award (from the left in the front row) at Yokohama City Hall
On the 29th, four players related to Yokohama City, who won the silver medal for the first time in the history of the men’s wheelchair basketball at the Tokyo Paralympics this summer, attended the city sports honor award presentation ceremony at the city hall.
Renshi Chokai (22), who lives in the city and belongs to the wheelchair basketball team “Para Kanagawa SC” in the prefecture, Takuya Furusawa (25), who is from the city and belongs to the same SC, Japanese physical education with a campus in the city Ryuga Akaishi (21) in the third year and Yoshinobu Takamatsu (21) in the fourth year.
Toriumi, who was also selected as the MVP of the Tokyo tournament, was delighted that “I was glad that many people supported me and I was able to see it.” Furusawa, who started the competition after experiencing the city’s sports culture center for the disabled “Yokohama Lapole” (Kohoku Ward), said, “I want to create an opportunity to convey the appeal of wheelchair basketball to children.”
Akaishi said, “Awareness is definitely higher than before the tournament. I want you to have dreams and goals regardless of your disability.” Takatsugu mentioned that the U-23 (under 23 years old) world championship will be held in Chiba next year, and called for “Please continue to support us.”
The award was given to 22 athletes related to the city who won medals at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. (Kamiya Enka)
