Suzuki Proud of Gold-Winning Performance; Hopes Momentum will Spread to Teammates

By Satoshi Morii / Yomiuri Shimbun Sportswriter

1:00 JST, August 31, 2024

Para swimmer Takayuki Suzuki leaped into the pool at the start of the 50-meter breaststroke SB3 class final, taking a big lead that he never relinquished.

“I swam the way I wanted to. I am very happy that all the hard work I did paid off,” he said, raising his left hand.

Suzuki clocked 48.04 seconds Thursday, beating his own Japanese record of 48.49 set at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing when he was 21. At the age of 37, he continues to show his determination as a competitor.

Suzuki was born without the lower part of his right arm. His legs end at the thigh, and he has only three fingers on his left hand. Paris marks his six consecutive Paralympic Games.

Suzuki has chronic pain in his left shoulder and had to limit the distance and number of times he swam last year. “I’m preparing for the end of my athletic career,” he said.

“I don’t want to participate in a competition just for the sake of commemoration,” he added.

Suzuki was made acutely aware that he was not recognized as a competitor in the past when he had been barred from using the same training facilities as Olympic athletes.

He is obsessed with victory and has a strong desire to have his results be judged in the same way as Olympic athletes.

The slogan for the Japanese team at this Games is “Challenge yourself to be the strongest you’ve ever been”

He was the first to embody these words. “I think I was able to generate momentum on the first day of competition. I hope it spreads to the rest of the Japanese team,” he said.