Office for Sports Promotion

【profile】
Kouyo Iwabuchi Born December 1994, 12 Belongs to Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd.
Participated in the 2016 Rio Paralympics
2017 World Championship (Team Competition) Runner-up

To become a leader in sports for people with disabilities

~The difficulty of para table tennis that I felt firsthand~

Yukihiro Iwabuchi was born with congenital clubfoot disorder, which causes the ankle to turn inward.His first encounter with table tennis was when he was in the first year of junior high school.He wanted to start some kind of racket competition, so he joined the table tennis club.Originally, he was not particularly aware of the fact that he was disabled, and just like his club members, he practiced hard and participated in games.When I was in the third year of junior high school, I wanted to learn table tennis from someone with more specialized knowledge, so the coach of the club team I started attending taught me about the existence of para table tennis, and I also participated in a para table tennis match. Learning that I was qualified was the trigger for me to start playing para table tennis.When he practiced with para table tennis players for the first time, his playing style and pitch quality were different from the table tennis he had experienced with able-bodied players, and he was completely unable to stand up to them.I felt that each player was playing table tennis while trying to turn their disability into a strength.Although he started playing para table tennis, he had a hard time getting used to the ball quality, timing, tactics for covering obstacles, and maneuvering that are unique to para table tennis.However, he used the frustration of not being able to beat the opponent in front of him as a springboard, and practiced hard with a strong determination to win next time.

~A strong desire to win that led to my participation in the Rio Paralympics~

Iwabuchi had been practicing para table tennis hard, but the turning point came during his second year at university, when he began to seriously participate in international tournaments.He was the first player to participate in the world championships as a ``wild card,'' an invitational spot given to promising athletes.Unlike other international tournaments, the World Championship brings together the top XNUMX athletes from around the world.For Iwabuchi, who was ranked XNUMXth in the world at the time, all of the players were of a higher rank, but he showed a great performance, finishing in XNUMXth place.
 At the World Championships, I was able to experience the intense atmosphere of the venue and the enthusiasm of the players, which was different from the games I had previously participated in, and it made me want to participate in more high-level games like the World Championships.Until then, she had never thought about the Paralympics, but when she learned that the next big event was the Rio Paralympics, she decided to aim to participate.In para table tennis, there are 15 spots available for the Rio Paralympic Games.At the time, Iwabuchi was ranked XNUMXst in the world. ``At this rate, it was doubtful that I would be able to participate,'' so he focused on the match in front of him, focused on winning every match, and devoted himself to daily training in preparation for his participation in the Paralympics.And he was lucky enough to qualify for the Rio Paralympic Games.

～Rio Paralympics～

When I stepped into the Rio Paralympic venue, I saw a crowd of spectators I had never seen before and an enthusiasm beyond my imagination. ``I would be nervous at the Paralympic Games,'' I thought, but I was overcome with a sense of nervousness that was far beyond my imagination, and I was immediately absorbed in the atmosphere of the venue.The first match was a straight loss.It happened in an instant.
 "I was so nervous that I didn't know what I wanted to do or what I should do, and my mind went blank. All I had to do was fight like crazy. Before I knew it, the match was over and I lost in straight sets."
 In the second match the next day, I was too nervous to move my body and lost again in straight sets.Iwabuchi's first Paralympic Games have come to an end.
 "The game was over in the blink of an eye, and I just stood there dumbfounded. When I went to my parents who had come to support me, my father shouted, ``What did you come all this way for?'' The moment I got angry, I came to my senses and felt a sudden surge of regret.Following what is!I was able to change my mind thanks to my parents. ”

~To become a leader in sports for people with disabilities~

He uses his disappointment at the Rio Paralympic Games as a springboard to practice hard every day.At the Tokyo Paralympic Games, which will be held in Japan, I am determined to win a gold medal for the sake of my parents and all the people who support me, who always come to the games every time.However, after the Rio Paralympics, Iwabuchi's opponents began coming into matches with strategies to counter Iwabuchi, and he struggled to achieve the results he had hoped for.
 “In order to participate in the Tokyo Paralympics, I believe that I must be able to win against even higher-ranked opponents.This year, I would like to acquire as many techniques as possible and increase the variety of fighting styles. .”
 There is also another reason why I was determined to win the gold medal.The goal is to popularize sports for people with disabilities.Para table tennis has few domestic matches.The matches are not shown on TV, and there are extremely few opportunities to see them.Therefore, he is streaming his matches live on SNS in an effort to get as many people interested as possible.

``When I participated in the Rio Paralympic Games, I was able to feel the atmosphere of the venue, which is unique to the Paralympic Games, with packed seats, loud cheers, and when the athletes left, they always gave me a standing ovation. I want more people with disabilities to experience this atmosphere. That's what I thought. Sports for people with disabilities is still poorly recognized, and many people don't even know about the Paralympics. I thought, ``I just need to make it.'' So I started live streaming the games.And I thought that if I won a gold medal, it would be an opportunity for more people to learn about parasports, so I decided to go to the Tokyo Paralympics to win a gold medal. However, although winning a gold medal is a goal, it is not the goal.In the future, I want to become a leader in sports for people with disabilities.”
I look forward to seeing Iwabuchi perform at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

～Highlights of para table tennis～

Para table tennis is a sport in which athletes with various disabilities compete in the same class.In fights between people with visible disabilities, it is easy for spectators to understand the plays that exploit the opponent's weaknesses and the tactics used by each other.

 ``Table tennis is a complex sport, so we tend to focus on the speed of the ball.However, in para table tennis, there are various ways to play depending on the disability.How can you use the weakness of your disability as a strength? If you watch the game with an awareness of whether they are changing, you will be able to understand the differences in fighting styles and strategies, so watch the match while imagining what will happen next.”

~How Iwabuchi spends his days off~

Iwabuchi said that since he was young, his parents would take him to play sports on holidays.He is particularly fond of skiing, and still enjoys skiing in between his competitive activities.

``This year I was busy and couldn't make time to go skiing, but I go skiing twice every season.I've always liked to move my body, so I enjoy playing sports other than table tennis throughout the year. is.
 It seems that moving your body through sports is refreshing.

～Iwabuchi’s game meal～

For Iwabuchi, who often competes overseas, his go-to meal is simply rice.When I go abroad, I always bring magic rice, a non-perishable food that can be stored for a long time.It seems like no matter where I go, I always eat rice for breakfast.Iwabuchi also loves Japanese sweets, so much so that he boasts that he loves yokan.There was also a funny story about how when I was doing interviews and telling people around me that I love yokan, most of the presents I received were yokan!
 “My love for yokan grew so much that when I was in college, a confectionery manufacturer sponsored me.Thanks to that, I don't have to worry about yokan anymore (lol).”
No matter which country he goes to, the same taste of rice and his favorite food, yokan, seem to be the source of Iwabuchi's power.