Hirokazu Ueyonabaru returns home to Okinawa from the Tokyo Paralympics with two bronze medals in wheelchair T52 races, “the cheers gave me power”

Hirokazu Ueyonabaru returns home to Okinawa from the Tokyo Paralympics with two bronze medals in wheelchair T52 races, “the cheers gave me power”

Tokyo Paralympic bronze medalist Hirokazu Ueyonabaru receiving congratulations from some young supporters at Naha Airport on August 30.


August 31 2021 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

Hirokazu Ueyonabaru, 50, – SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. – who won the bronze medal in both the 400-meter and 1,500-meter men’s T52 wheelchair race, returned to Okinawa the evening of August 30, landing at Naha airport. Seeing the people who came out to met him, he said “It was a sigh of relief (to win a medal)” beaming a big smile.

That morning he contended with press conferences in Tokyo before heading home. He showed off his two bronze medals, holding them up from his neck in the airport lobby, saying “I could not have done it without all the cheers from everyone. My goal was to win a medal, but even I was surprised to win them,” displaying his sense of accomplishment. In response to a reporter’s question about future Paralympics, Ueyonabaru spoke of his goals, “Definitely Paris and the one after that. Because I have not won a gold medal yet.”

The fan club did not have a ceremony at the airport, but supporters and their kids came out to meet him. Yuuto Kawabata – a fifth grader at Takahara Elementary – who exchanged a paper medal and got to wear the bronze medals said, “It was really heavy, but I’m happy,” while gazing at the real medal.

(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)

 

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