Feeling withdrawal symptoms from the Olympics? Cannot get enough of world-class sports performances by multi-talented athletes? Then you are in for a treat, as the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are set to begin on the 24th of August, once again filling the capital city of Japan with the flame and fighting spirit of athletes from every corner of the world. As you probably know, the Paralympic Games are the largest international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, this year featuring more than 3600 athletes who are ready to compete for the coveted Paralympic gold medals. The Summer Paralympic Games have been held every four years since the first edition in Rome 1960, with the exception of last year, since the Games were postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As the host, Tokyo will make history as the first city to stage the Paralympics a second time, having done so for the first time in 1964. Before coming to a close on the 5th of September, 540 events in 22 different sports will have taken place, giving audiences world-wide a jam-packed programme to look forward to.
In the full line-up of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, which will be the 16th Summer Paralympic Games to be hosted, we find events such as archery, cycling, swimming, and table tennis, which are also present at the Olympics. Additionally, there are events carrying names such as wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, and paratriathlon, indicating that they have been adapted for Paralympic athletes. Apart from these, the Paralympic Games also feature two unique events that cannot be found at the Olympics: boccia and goalball. This edition of the Paralympics will also see the introduction of two new sports: badminton and taekwondo, which replace sailing and 7-a-side football. An important goal of this year's Paralympics has been to introduce para sport to more people. Japan has thus devoted ample resources to creating awareness about all the different sports present at the Paralympics, for example in these short one-minute clips featuring colourful drawings which introduce each of the sports in an easily accessible way.
One of the largest differences between the Olympic and Paralympic Games is the sheer number of events in each sport, which take into account the large variety of disabilities there is among Paralympic athletes. All sports make use of classification systems that differ depending on the sport. Within these classification systems, there are three main categories: physical, vision, or intellectual impairment. These range from a lower level of impairment, such as impaired passive range of movement in a joint, to missing a limb, or being blind. All athletes are classified according to these fixed schemes, usually enabling athletes with similar disabilities to compete against each other. The goal of the classification system is to create conditions that ensure that the athletes' impairments have the least amount of impact on their performance, instead making room for skill, fitness, power, endurance, tactical ability, and mental focus as determining factors of success. In most sports, athletes compete in one of several classes, usually denoted with a combination of one or two letters and a number. Across the different sports, lower numbers generally indicate a more severe degree of impairment, which affect the athletes' abilities to compete to a larger extent. While the system is meant to be as fair as possible, critics within the world of para sport have suggested that it is instead flawed, because it pits athletes with different abilities against each other, at the same time as it is easy to manipulate and lacks credibility. Statements from former Paralympians point to the inherent arbitrariness of the system, which does not seem to account for the wellbeing of the athletes, who have seen themselves be wrongfully classified or reclassified to suit the whims of coaches and other stakeholders. In spite of this, at least for now, no change to the system seems to be in sight.
In this year's edition of the Paralympic Games, a total of 134 National Paralympic Committees are represented, with Bhutan and Guyana both making their first appearances at the Paralympics. Brazil, China, and the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) are sending the largest number of athletes (253, 230, and 181 respectively), at the same time as 52 countries are only represented by one or two athletes each. In the most recent edition of the Paralympics hosted in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, a record number of 83 countries won at least one medal during the Games. Otherwise, China has been the most successful country in every edition of the Paralympic Games since Athens 2004, in terms of gold medals won. While the pandemic has affected the possibility of many Paralympians to train properly, the additional year has also meant that many are feeling more ready than ever to compete for the highly sought-after medals. Therefore, only time will tell whether China will manage to retain its dominance in the world of Paralympic sport.
A new feature in this year's Paralympics is the design of the medals, which for the first time include circular indentations on the side, which help athletes with vision impairments distinguish between the gold, silver, and bronze medals. The front of the medals depicts a traditional Japanese fan motif and includes a lot of symbolism; for example, the kaname, or pivot point, is meant to represent Paralympic athletes as bringing people together regardless of nationality or ethnicity. The back features the Paralympic symbol, which consists of three so called agitos (meaning “I move” in Latin) that come together to symbolise motion, as well as Braille letters spelling out “Tokyo 2020”.
While the possibility to win medals is a central component of the Paralympics, we should not forget the spirit of the Games. The overall motto for both the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games is “United by Emotion”, which captures the message that the Games wish to spread all around the world: “Because, though we are each different, we are all so much the same.” Additionally, the Games are guided by three visions: “Achieving Personal Best”, “Unity in Diversity”, and “Connecting to Tomorrow”. These are further elaborated as “Striving for your personal best”, “Accepting one another”, and “Passing on legacy for the future”, and are supposed to be incorporated into every aspect of the Games. In line with the wish to spread awareness about para sport, this edition of the Paralympics is the first to launch an official game, called “The Pegasus Dream Tour” (available for free on Google Play and App Store), where players can train an avatar to become a Paralympic champion. Furthermore, Japan, which is the home of anime, has made sure to use its expertise in the area, having its national broadcaster NHK collaborate with well-known anime and manga creators to produce a series of twelve animated short films which each feature a different Paralympic sport.
Finally, as has been the case since 1980, there is an official mascot for the Paralympics. The mascot for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games is called Someity, a name that comes from a variety of cherry blossom called someiyoshino, as well as the English phrase “so mighty”. It has a pink chequered pattern inspired by cherry blossoms and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics logo, which resembles a handheld fan. It is described as having “a calm and quiet presence, guided by great inner strength”, but also has telepathic superpowers, the ability to fly, and the capability to communicate with natural elements such as the wind. It is meant to represent the mental and physical strength of Paralympic athletes, who “overcome obstacles and redefine the boundaries of possibility”.
Indeed, as Paralympians, the athletes who compete in the Games are truly extraordinary: Having gone to great lengths to overcome obstacles and become the best they can be in their respective sports, they are real role models for everyone, no matter their individual attributes. They show us that people, regardless of physical constitution, can achieve great success if only they set their mind to it, and work hard to reach their goals. As athletes, they truly embody the spirit of the Games, inspiring and paving the way for future Paralympians in generations to come.
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