<h3>Momoka MURAOKA(25)</h3>
<p><strong>Alpine Skiing Women<br>
</strong> Gold Medal in Downhill (Seated)<br>
Super Giant Slalom (seated) Gold Medal<br>
Super Combined (seated) Silver Medal<br>
Giant Slalom (seated) Gold Medal<br>
5th place in slalom (seated)</p>
<figure id="attachment_234925" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234925"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="b46d8760"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_182982049.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234925" class="wp-caption-text">He won his third gold medal of this competition in the giant slalom. After the race, he could not help but burst into tears, as it is an event he is deeply attached to, having won his first gold medal at the previous PyeongChang Games.</figcaption></figure>
<p>On March 13, the curtain came down on the Beijing Winter Paralympics. Japan won seven medals. In fact, Momoka Muraoka (25), the queen of Alpine skiing, won more than half of them. Sports journalist Kiyozumi Ninomiya, an expert on para-sports, looks back.</p>
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<figure id="attachment_234927" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234927"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e30c8246"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/GettyImages-1238938877.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234927" class="wp-caption-text">Her most powerful weapon is her excellent and stable turns. She won the gold medal in the Super Giant Slalom even though she lost the contact in one eye.</figcaption></figure>
<p><strong> He skied a dominating performance, winning three gold medals and one silver, including the first medal of the competition for the Japanese team. Due to his disability, he had difficulty turning to the right, but this competition saw a dramatic improvement. It is likely that her upper body usage and core have been strengthened after she tried athletics at the Tokyo Paralympics last summer. The ski equipment she used this time was an original model developed jointly with Toyota Motor Corporation and other companies. I think the progress in understanding and support for athletes with disabilities has also been a factor in her rapid progress.</strong></p>
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<p>The presence of each other was a driving force for the new para-cross country skiing ace Taiki Kawayoke (21), who won a long-sought gold medal, and legendary skier Yoshihiro Nitta (41), who competed in his seventh consecutive event in the same discipline. Mr. Ninomiya continues.</p>
<p><strong> Kawawaki has been following the great back of Nitta with the words &#8220;Impossibility is possibility&#8221; that Nitta gave him. On the other hand, when Nitta pushed himself to the verge of running out of oxygen, I could sense his determination not to be defeated by his rival and mentor.</strong></p>
<p>Russian and Belarusian athletes were excluded due to Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine. Amidst the unusual tension, the athletes were dynamic to the best of their ability. The world was moved by their appearance.</p>
<h3>Taiki Kawawake (21)</h3>
<p><strong>Men&#8217;s Cross Country Skiing<br>
</strong> 20km Classical (Standing) Gold Medal<br>
Sprint (standing) 7th<br>
12.5km (standing) 8th place<br>
Relay 7th</p>
<p>He overcame his handicap of not being able to hold a stock because he was born without part of his fingers on both hands and feet by using a unique rhythmic pitch running method and dynamic skiing with his upper body. He showed off his impressive running skills.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234928" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234928"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e4504ac4"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/GettyImages-1381919292.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234928" class="wp-caption-text">Taiki Kawawake (21) Cross-country Skiing Men</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_234929" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234929"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="51ce782c"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/GettyImages-1381956748.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234929" class="wp-caption-text">Since meeting Nitta in 2010, he has been following the back of his senior, Nitta. The gold medal was the best way to return the favor.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Taiki Morii (41)</h3>
<p><strong> Alpine Skiing Men<br>
Downhill (seated) Bronze Medal<br>
Super-Giant Slalom (seated) Bronze Medal<br>
Super Combined (seated) Abstention<br>
Giant Slalom (seated) 8th<br>
5th place in slalom (seated)</strong></p>
<p>He converted his home into a gym so that he could train even with the Corona disaster. With her powerful skiing using her well-trained upper body, she achieved a remarkable feat of winning medals in five consecutive competitions.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234930" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234930"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f3655ab7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/GettyImages-1382134634.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234930" class="wp-caption-text">Taiki Morii (41) Alpine Skiing Men</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_234931" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234931"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d3151d98"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/GettyImages-1382650644.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234931" class="wp-caption-text">He has competed in six consecutive Olympics. I don&#8217;t think about my age. There is room for growth.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Junta Kosuda (31)</h3>
<p>Snowboard <strong>Men<br>
</strong> Snowboard Cross (Lower Limb Disability LL1) 7th<br>
Banked Slalom (Lower Limb Disability LL1) 10th</p>
<p>A number of athletes have been active in dual competition with the Summer Paralympics. Kosuda, who finished 7th in the long jump at the Tokyo Paralympics, was also able to compete in the top ranks at his first Winter Games.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234921" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1966px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234921"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="026860ae"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/2022030809370.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234921" class="wp-caption-text">Jyunta Kosuda (31) Snowboard Men</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Ryohei Ariyasu (35)</h3>
<p><strong>Men&#8217;s Cross Country Skiing<br>
</strong> 20km Classical (Visually Impaired) 7th<br>
Sprint (visually impaired) 16th<br>
12.5km (visually impaired) 16th</p>
<p>Despite his visual impairment, he and his guide Yuhei Fujita (29, pictured right) placed 7th in the Classical. He has experience placing 12th in the rowing event at the Tokyo Paralympics.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234920" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234920"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="94521de8"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/2022030705481.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234920" class="wp-caption-text">Ryohei Ariyasu (35) Cross-country Skiing Men</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Keiichi Sato (42)</h3>
<p><strong>Men&#8217;s Cross Country Skiing<br>
</strong> 12.5km (standing) 12th<strong><br>
Biathlon Men<br>
</strong> 6km (standing) 11th<br>
10km (standing) 9th<br>
12.5km (standing) 7th</p>
<p>He took on the challenge of cross-country skiing and biathlon, using his stamina to finish 11th in the triathlon at the Rio Paralympics. His best result was 7th place.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234923" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234923"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="286c9630"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_182716226.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234923" class="wp-caption-text">Keiichi SATO (42) Cross Country Ski Men/Biathlon Men</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Taku Misawa (34)</h3>
<p><strong>Alpine Ski Men<br>
</strong> Downhill (standing) 14th<br>
Super-Giant Slalom (Standing) Abstention<br>
Super Combined (standing) 11th<br>
Slalom (standing) Abandoned during the race</p>
<p>He was one of the few one-legged skiers among the many who use artificial legs, and competed in his fifth consecutive event. Although she did not win the medal she had hoped for, she stuck to her style until the end.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234922" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234922"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="cc56e9c6"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_182612874.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234922" class="wp-caption-text">Taku Misawa (34) Alpine Skiing Men</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Noriko Kamiyama (49)</h3>
<p><strong>Alpine Skiing Women<br>
</strong> Downhill (standing) 8th<br>
Super Giant Slalom (Standing) 10th<br>
Super Combined (standing) Disqualified<br>
Giant Slalom (standing) 13th <strong><br>
</strong>Slalom (standing) 8th</p>
<p>Paralyzed on the left side of his body due to an illness and normally using a wheelchair, he began competing in earnest at the age of 40 and made his first Olympic appearance at the age of 49, the oldest member of the Japanese team this time. She competed in a total of five events.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234926" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234926"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f05318b2"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_183021107.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234926" class="wp-caption-text">Noriko Kamiyama (49) Alpine Skiing Women</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Yoshihiro Nitta (41)</h3>
<p><strong>Men&#8217;s cross-country skiing<br>
</strong> 20km Classical (standing) 7th<br>
Sprint (standing) 8th<br>
Relay 7th</p>
<p>He has led the Japanese Para athletic world with seven consecutive appearances and three gold medals. Before the Games, she announced her retirement at the end of this season. He was on the attack until the very end, and finished on a high note by placing in all events!</p>
<figure id="attachment_234924" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1831px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234924"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5c7ce423"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_182875721.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234924" class="wp-caption-text">Yoshihiro Nitta (41) Cross-country Skiing Men</figcaption></figure>
<p>From the April 1-8, 2022 issue of FRIDAY</p>


 Afro Kyodo Images Getty Images

 Japan won a record seven medals at the Beijing Winter Paralympics. We take a look back at the heroic performances of Japanese Para athletes, including Momoka Muraoka, who won four of the seven medals, with their inspirational stories.

 Photo Documentary: Playback of Famous Scenes: Triple Crown Winner, the Absolute Queen!　Momoka Muraoka, the youngest Japanese Men's Winter Para gold medalist!　Daiki Kawaii, a legendary runner who has competed in 7 consecutive events!　Yoshihiro Nitta

10 Days of “Dynamism and Excitement” at the Paralympics in Photographs

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