Tomoki Sato won the gold medal in the men's 1,500-meter T52 category wheelchair race at the Tokyo Paralympics on Sunday, finishing in a Paralympic record of 3 minutes 29.13 seconds.
Raymond Martin of the United States took the silver medal in 3:29.72, while Hirokazu Ueyonabaru earned the bronze in 3:44.17.
It was Sato's second medal at the Tokyo Games, following Friday's gold in the 400-meter race in the same category. Ueyonabaru also took the bronze in that event.
Sato was in the lead as he rounded the final corner, and pulled away from 2016 Rio Paralympic champion Martin in the straightaway to win the gold. He powered across the finish line at full speed, then raised his right arm in jubilation.
The race developed in a way Sato did not expect, but he calmly changed his tactics in the moment.
Earning a good position on the track is important for athletes in the 1,500 meters, unlike the 400 meters, in which each athlete has a separate lane. Athletes in the 1,500 can take off from the beginning, or use the front runners as a windbreak to conserve their energy for the final stages of the race.
In past competitions, Martin has gone out in front from the start and held on to his lead, but this time, he suddenly found himself right behind Sato.
Sato had planned to break away in the first half of the race, in a bid to top his own world record. "I didn't expect that," he said, "I could tell he planned to pass me just as we hit the finish line. I thought it wouldn't be cool to end up the silver."
Sato gave up on the world record in the second lap, and saved his strength for the final spurt.
He was confident about his plan, as he'd been training hard under the guidance of his personal coach. Sato could feel the improvement in his speed, thanks to such drills as doing three sets of five 400-meter runs with just one minute's rest between each run.
Sato began using a wheelchair in 2010 due to myelitis. Paralympic athletes gave him hope -- "I was very impressed by athletes who were making the most of their remaining abilities to compete. They helped me dream," he said. Sato hopes that his success will spread the same feeling to others.
"I won out in competition and took the gold. I think this is really valuable," said Sato, who proved his strength as a champion by topping the two silvers he won at the Rio Games.
--Going strong
Ueyonabaru, 50, smiled as he said, "I'm still as strong as the young guys."
He fell behind the two lead racers after they passed the 400-meter mark on Sunday, but he remained calm. "I slowed down a bit because if I stayed with them, I wouldn't be able to keep going," Ueyonabaru said.
He won the silver in the marathon at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Although he switched to track events, he was still confident in his physical strength.
In recent years, Ueyonabaru has focused on "running without slowing down too much." He chased the two leaders Sunday and maintained his position until the end.
"I wanted to do my best to express my gratitude. That was my only thought," he said with a smile.
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