Tomoki Sato’s speed accelerates as he dashes down the final stretch of the track. His lead opens up as he turns the last corner and crosses the finish line ahead of the chasing pack. The result is a familiar one for the four-time world record holder.
In the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, Sato conquered two events, the men’s 400m T52 and 1500m T52. “Each race I take part in, my time improves. In other words, I exceed my own limit and it becomes addictive. It’s in that moment that I feel I can never quit this sport,” explains Sato.
After graduating from high school, Sato moved from his home in Shizuoka to the capital Tokyo to become an actor in musicals. Around April 2010, he noticed that at times he felt weak in his lower body.
He didn’t think much about it because after taking some time off to recuperate, he would get on with his life as usual. But that fall, he suddenly lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital. He was left in a wheelchair, and it took a further 18 months, and visits to several hospitals, before he was diagnosed with myelitis, which is an inflammation of the spinal cord which can lead to paralysis.
The news left Sato demotivated and he spent most of his time at home. But his life changed when he watched the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The image of the athletes exerting themselves on the world’s biggest stage inspired him.
“This is what I’m going to do,” he thought. Sato set a goal to compete in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and win a gold medal. He sought help from people around him to find a a suitable sports’ wheelchair that he could rent and set out to practice.
“Before I knew it, I was taking action,” he said. “I immersed myself and was making steady progress. I was focused on how I should condition myself so that I could go to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.”