[World Bud 2022]Nagashima, who has participated in 9 tournaments in a row, wins the first match with a full game! – Sports site for people with disabilities – MA SPORTS

“Hulic Daihatsu BWF Para-Badminton World Championship 2022” opened on November 1st. The stage is the same as last year’s Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Yoyogi National Stadium First Gymnasium. On the first day, qualifying leagues were held for each class.

Osamu Nagashima (LIXIL), who is ranked 6th in the world and has entered the men’s WH1 singles, played against a Brazilian player ranked 10th in the world in the first match of the qualifying league, and finished 21-19, 19-21, 21-14. won the close game. In the 2nd game, there was a scene where the clearance became shallow due to the influence of the wind, and the 3rd game also became a seesaw game in the early stages, but after the court change, they scored 8 consecutive points to recover and push them away.

Nagashima is a veteran who has participated in nine consecutive world championships since 2005, and has led the Japanese wheelchair class. He has won a total of 11 medals so far, including three bronze medals in singles.

First-timer Matsumoto wins in straight sets

Men’s WH2 Takumi Matsumoto (Sosei Construction), who was participating in the World Championships for the first time, said that he was “a little nervous” when he participated in the public practice the day before. 3 straight wins. After the game, he smiled, saying, “I was nervous at first, but I got better as I hit the shuttle.”

In terms of play, in addition to the usual backhand serve, a forehand serve that emphasizes control is also incorporated to challenge various shots and build a match. As a result, there were times when the shuttle touch was soft, but he said, “I want to make use of today’s reflection and connect it to tomorrow,” and looked forward.

In this tournament, three Japanese doubles teams will participate. Of these, Noriko Ito (Chunichi Shimbun) and Taiwaki Imai (Daihatsu Motor) in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 have just started pairing up this season, but they have won the Canadian International. SL3’s Ito defends one point in the front line, while Imai, who has an upper limb injury, covers the rest of the area. , won 21-14, 21-16.

Ito said, “I want to make the most of Owaki’s smashes. By the way, I will stop it,” they trust each other. Cooperative play that takes advantage of the strengths of the two is likely to be the key to a podium finish.

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic men’s WH2 singles gold medalist Daiki Kajiwara (Nippon Sport Science University) defeated an Australian player in straight sets. He also won the doubles with WH1’s Hiroshi Murayama (SMBC Green Service).

(Interview and text by Miharu Araki, photography by Yoshiharu Uehara)