Aug 25, 2021 (NHK) - Events at the Tokyo Paralympic Games got underway on Wednesday, following an opening ceremony the previous day.
A record 4,400 athletes from about 160 countries and territories are taking part in 539 events in 22 sports held over 12 days.
Yamada Miyuki became the first Japanese athlete to compete in the Games, taking part in the women's S2 100-meter backstroke heats on Wednesday morning.
Yamada, who is 14 years old, is the youngest medal hopeful on the Japanese team. She finished with the third fastest time among all swimmers and advanced to the final, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Iwabuchi Koyo won an intense table tennis match in the men's singles class 9 group qualifiers. Iwabuchi also served as a flag-bearer for the Japanese team in the opening ceremony.
On the cycling track, 50-year-old medal hopeful Sugiura Keiko participated in the women's C3 individual pursuit qualifying race. She finished fifth and was eliminated.
On Wednesday afternoon, Japan plays against France in a group A preliminary mixed wheelchair rugby match. Japan's team won a bronze medal in the Rio Games in 2016.
Japan's women's wheelchair basketball team will play against Australia in its first preliminary match, also scheduled for the afternoon.
Japan's goalball teams, both men's and women's, will play their first preliminary matches on Wednesday afternoon. The women's team is hoping to repeat its gold medal success of the 2012 London Games.
