Atsushi Yamamoto finished fourth in the T63 long jump, but set an Asian-record 6.75 meters on his fifth attempt on Saturday at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Even though he barely missed out on a medal, for Yamamoto said he achieved his goal of performing at his best in the event.
Every crystal-clear word he uttered gave off no sense of defeat.
After a series of "near-best jumps" that started from his first attempt, it took Yamamoto until his fifth try to set the Asian record, temporarily lifting him into third place.
Yamamoto's journey here started when he was a high school student in 2000. He lost his left leg in a motorcycle accident and subsequently took up athletics after graduation.
Despite his success in this arena, the public reaction to him has been sluggish compared with Olympic athletes.
Aiming to improve the status of sports for athletes with disabilities, he thought: "The Olympics continue to be successful and are the most competitive events in the world. Here in Tokyo I hope I can make things happen with the momentum the Paralympics generate.
"Our generation is almost ready to retire, but kids around 20 years old can go for another 10 years or so. I want to create an environment in which they can continue their competitive careers," the 39-year-old said.
In Tokyo, where he jumped with the notion that many people were watching him on TV, he showed that he has yet to reach his limit.
"I did good work [ahead of the Games], and I had a fantastic day," he said.
-- Nakanishi finishes 6th
Maya Nakanishi finished sixth in the women's T64 long jump with a leap of 5.27.
Nakanishi, in her fourth Paralympics, said this was the toughest competition she has ever faced.
She was the long jump queen at the 2019 world championships and broke her own Asian record with a mark of 5.70 at the national championships in 2020.
Nakanishi had been working hard to improve her runup, but had not been able to find the right way to make that translate to her jumps.
"In this category, Markus Rehm is the big hero in the men's long jump. But the women's field is crowded, and it wouldn't be a surprise if whoever wins it does so with a world record," Nakanishi said.
"I'm proud to say that the women's event is the best one to watch. I expect to see improvement at the international level, so I want to head to the next world championships with good preparation."
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