Japanese boccia player Kazuki Takahashi won bronze in the men's BC3 individual event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games on Wednesday local time. As he stepped onto the podium, he could not hide his emotion: the venue is the very place where he suffered the injury that sent his life in a different direction roughly 30 years ago.
According to the organizers, this year's Games bring together athletes from 45 countries and territories, the largest participation ever recorded at an Asian Para Games. The event is being held in Japan's Aichi-Nagoya region.
Competing and winning a medal at the site of a personal turning point gives Takahashi's bronze a meaning that goes beyond an ordinary result. Japanese media have reported his story as one of the most moving moments of the Games.
Organizers had earlier confirmed the record scale of this edition's field, reflecting the growth of the para-sport movement in the region. Competition continues in the coming days.
