Koyo Iwabuchi

Started: He took up table tennis in grade seven at Waseda Jitsugyo Junior High School in Japan. (nerimakanko.jp, 20 Jan 2021; YouTube channel, 13 Jan 2020) Reason: He considered taking up tennis and baseball when he entered middle school, but decided on table tennis as it required less running. He began competing in Para table tennis in grade nine of middle school after encouragement by a coach. (YouTube channel, 13 Jan 2020) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (nhk.or.jp, 31 Aug 2023) Awards: He and Para triathlete Mami Tani were flag bearers for Japan at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (nikkansports.com, 24 Aug 2021) Additional Info: OTHER ACTIVITIES In November 2020 he hosted a Para table tennis tournament called the Iwabuchi Open in Nerima, Japan, with the aid of crowdfunding. Earlier the same year, he began producing videos on his YouTube channel with the aim of increasing awareness of Para sport and impairments. "With no search results of 'Para table tennis video' showing up on the web, I decided to make one myself, and launched my YouTube channel. Impairments are not disadvantages that should be pitied, but essential components of Paralympic sports." (sankei.com, 06 Jan 2021; YouTube channel, 23 Nov 2020; 2020.yahoo.co.jp, 28 Dec 2020; tokyo2020.org, 26 Aug 2020)