Goalball players will have a chance to compete for slots on the women's team that will represent Japan at next year's Tokyo Paralympic Games. The decision to open some of the slots on the squad was made as sports associations reexamine players provisionally chosen for teams in light of the Games' postponement.
More than 50 Paralympians received interim nominations to national teams, and Paralympic sports organizations said those selections would remain despite the one-year gap.
However, the Japan Goalball Association plans to reconfigure the women's national team because several younger players have shown marked improvement. The organization will establish selection criteria to reevaluate these players.
In December last year, the association selected three athletes - Eiko Kakehata, Haruka Wakasugi and Yuki Temma - for the team based on their achievements in international events. After games held earlier this year, the association additionally chose Rieko Takahashi, 22, who is a student at the University of Tsukuba, to be the center.
Veteran players Rie Urata and Masae Komiya were provisionally selected for the 2020 team. They have been key members in the sport and were on the national team when Japan won the gold medal in women's goalball at the 2012 London Games.
Japan is looking to repeat that performance after failing to do so four years ago.
In the wake of the postponement of the Games, head coach Kyoichi Ichikawa decided to take another look at the squad. He deemed Kakehata, Wakasugi and Temma as essential members. As for the rest of the team, "I will consider a player's condition and whether they will be able to play at peak performance in August next year," Ichikawa said.
Norika Hagiwara, 19, has been on top of her game at international events and has scored several goals. Ichikawa sees a bright future for her. "She is an aggressive player and different from typical players in the past. The growth potential of younger athletes is really something," he said, adding, "by adding other candidates, I want all members of the team to grow through friendly competition."
Ichikawa aims to revitalize the team through such healthy competition, and he will be watching their development until the start of the Paralympics.
The postponement of the Olympics raised several significant issues. For the women's goalball team, the question is whether they can use the extra year to further develop as athletes and go into next year's Games at peak performance.
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