Japan at the 2018 Winter Paralympics facts for kids
Japan sent a team of amazing athletes to the 2018 Winter Paralympics! These big games happened in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Japan's team was ready to compete in exciting sports like para-alpine skiing (downhill skiing), para-Nordic skiing (cross-country and biathlon), para-snowboarding, and sledge hockey.
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Japan's Team
Japan had one of the biggest teams at the 2018 Winter Paralympics. They sent 38 athletes, which made them the third largest team! The names of the athletes were announced in a few steps. The final list of athletes was shared on February 18, 2018.
Here are some of the athletes who were part of Team Japan:
| Name | Sport | Gender | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Momoka Muraoka | para-alpine skiing | female | LW10.2 |
| Gurimu Narita | para-snowboarding | male | SB-LL2 |
| Keiichi Sato | para-Nordic skiing | male | |
| Atsushi Yamamoto | para-snowboarding | male |
Para-alpine Skiing
Para-alpine skiing involves racing down snowy mountains. Athletes use special equipment or techniques depending on their disability.
Training and Races
The skiers had practice runs for the downhill race on March 7. Some practice runs on March 8 and 9 were canceled.
The first big race was the downhill on March 10. The Super-G race followed on March 11. The super combined event happened on March 13. This event has two parts: a Super-G run in the morning and a slalom run in the afternoon. The slalom race was on March 14 and 15. The last para-alpine skiing race was the giant slalom on March 17 and 18.
Medal Winners
Japanese athletes did very well in para-alpine skiing!
- In the women's downhill sitting race, Momoka Muraoka from Japan won a silver medal.
- In the men's downhill sitting race, Taiki Morri from Japan also won a silver medal.
- In the women's Super-G sitting race, Momoka Muraoka won a bronze medal.
Para-Nordic Skiing
Para-Nordic skiing includes cross-country skiing and biathlon. Biathlon combines cross-country skiing with target shooting.
Meet Keiichi Sato
Keiichi Sato is a very talented athlete. He competes in both para-triathlon and para-Nordic skiing. He started with para-Nordic skiing and went to the Winter Paralympics in 2010 and 2014.
When para-triathlon became a Paralympic sport, he decided to try it. He even competed in the 2016 Summer Paralympics! Later, he chose to focus on para-Nordic skiing again. He really wanted to win a medal at the 2018 Winter Paralympics.
Race Schedule
On March 12, the 15 km race took place for women. The sprint classic qualification races were on March 14. These races decide who moves on to the semifinals and finals later that day. The classic race was held on March 17.
Para-snowboarding
Para-snowboarding is a thrilling sport where athletes race down a course on a snowboard.
Meet Atsushi Yamamoto
Atsushi Yamamoto is another amazing athlete who has competed in different sports. He won a silver medal in long jump at the 2016 Summer Paralympics!
In November 2017, Atsushi tried para-snowboarding for the first time in a competition. He competed at the World Para Snowboard World Cup in Landgraaf, Netherlands. He even won a silver medal in his first event!
Race Schedule
The snowboard cross event started on March 12. This is a race where snowboarders go down a course with jumps and turns. The slalom race was scheduled for March 16. In slalom, athletes race through a course marked by gates.
Sledge Hockey
Sledge hockey is an exciting team sport similar to ice hockey. Athletes sit on special sledges and use sticks with picks on the end to move across the ice.
Japan's Sledge Hockey Team
Japan's sledge hockey team had 17 male players. Their coach was Kojin Nakakita. Many players on the team had competed in past Paralympic Games.
Here are the players on Team Japan:
| Name | Position | Role | Past Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mikio Annaka | forward | 2014 | |
| Shinobu Fukushima | goaltender | 2014 | |
| Susumu Hirose | forward | ||
| Wataru Horie | forward | ||
| Hideaki Ishii | defenseman | ||
| Nao Kodama | forward | ||
| Masaharu Kumagai | forward | alternate captain | |
| Eiji Misawa | defenseman | 2014 | |
| Kazuya Mochizuki | goaltender | ||
| Keisuke Nagumo | forward | ||
| Toshiyuki Nakamura | defenseman | ||
| Taimei Shiba | forward | 2014 | |
| Yoshihiro Shioya | forward | ||
| Satoru Sudo | defenseman | captain | 2014 |
| Kazuhiro Takahashi | forward | alternate captain | 2014 |
| Daisuke Uehara | defenseman | 2014 | |
| Mamoru Yoshikawa | forward | 2014 |
Getting to the Games
Japan's sledge hockey team earned their spot at the 2018 Games. They qualified by doing well at a special tournament in Sweden in October 2017. Sweden and the Czech Republic also qualified at this tournament.
Game Schedule
Japan was in Group B for the sledge hockey competition. Their group included the United States, South Korea, and the Czech Republic.
Japan played against South Korea on March 10. They then played against the Czech Republic on March 13.
| Team | GP | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Czech Republic |
|||||||||
 Japan |
|||||||||
 South Korea |
|||||||||
 United States |
| March 10, 2018 15:30 KST |
Japan |
15:30 KST | South Korea |
Gangneung Hockey Centre |
| March 11, 2018 12:00 KST |
Japan |
12:00 KST | United States |
Gangneung Hockey Centre |
| March 13, 2018 19:00 MSK |
Japan |
19:00 MSK | Czech Republic |
Gangneung Hockey Centre |
Watching the Games
For the first time ever, the Paralympic Games were shown live on television in Japan! People could watch the 2018 Games on NHK channels. Some parts were even shown in super clear 8K resolution. There were 62 hours of live coverage, so fans could watch a lot of the action.
See also
In Spanish: Japón en los Juegos Paralímpicos de Pyeongchang 2018 para niños
