ATHLETE

Meet the Athletes

Get to know the participating world-class athletes, and discover what makes each one of them superhuman.

Athletics athlete
Deaflympics athlete

Joy McArthur

Mcarthur graduated from Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, Calif, University of Southern California , and graduate school. Her father was a former professional basketball player, Eric Mcarthur. Her mother is Japanese. Because her father played for a Japanese team, she came to Japan when she was 5 months old and grew up in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture until she was 8 years old. After returning to California in the United States due to her father's retirement, she began throwing discus and shot put in junior high school. After entering high school, she seriously started doing the hammer throw at the recommendation of her coach. She has grown into someone who continues to rewrite the history of Japanese women's hammer throw, including breaking Japanese records. She is a heroine of a new era who won consecutive victories at the Japan Championships held in June 2024, and is expected to perform well at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

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Masaki Sato

After graduating from Kofu Kogyo Technical High School in Yamanashi prefecture, worked at an auto company for eight years. Now he belongs to KI Star Real Estate Co., Ltd. “KI Challenged Athlete Team”. In 2021 he won a silver medal at the World Deaf Judo Championships. In the following year of 2024, he won Gold for the first time at 2nd World Deaf Judo Championship and stood on top of the world. In parallel with his competitive life, he entered Seisa University (correspondence course) in 2017 with the aim of obtaining a teaching license. After 6 years of study, obtained a teaching license for middle and high school health, physical education, and special needs schools. He is aiming to win a gold medal at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics in order to establish himself as a leader in Japanese Deaf Judo and a role model for deaf children.

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Joy McArthur, Athletics | Hammer throw which became the “meaning of life”. New heroine who loves Japan

Hammer throw was her first encounter with something that “made me want to put my life on the line for the first time” for Joy McArthur. Without any confidence and nothing that she wants to do. It wasn't until she started working on hammer throw that she was able to face herself.
In February 2022, she chose a Japanese citizenship, and in April of the following year, she broke the Japanese record held by Yuka Murofushi for the first time in 19 years. In April 2024, she marked 70m51, becoming the first Japanese woman to reach the 70m mark. The words of the 25-year-old, who suddenly became a new heroine, were not only about hammer throw, but also about her love for Japan, where she lived until she was eight years old.

Masaki SATO, Deaf Judo – “Life is bright even if you can’t hear” Yawara no michi (=the art of judo) that we want to pass on to the next generation

If I wear a judo uniform, I too can become the hero I admire-- I started judo from the pure heart of a child, and that's how I made my first friends. Now that he is an adult, he has become first in the world of deaf judo. Masaki Sato's eyes shine as he uses his own Yawara no michi (the art of judo)as a role model to convey the joy of life and judo to other deaf children. A judoka who is so dedicated to the sport that he even changed jobs in order to win a gold medal at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics. On the other hand, when he steps off the tatami mat, he is known to be a devoted husband which is not seen by many.

Masaaki Numakura, Deaf Badminton – Aim for Gold medal with his wife. “Self-realization” at the Deaflympics

“Deaflympics is a place for self-realization”, that’s the words of leader of the Japanese team for Deaf Badminton, Masaaki Numakura. His first Deaflympic Games was the Samsun Deaflympics 2017, and he won silver medal for the team competition at the Caxias do Sul 2022. He paired with his wife, Chihiro Numakura at the mixed doubles, and they are aiming for the top of the world together. What does the leader of Deaf Badminton want to achieve at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics where he will be turning the big 40.

Nagisa Takahashi, Athletics – Challenging “Women’s oldest record” Enjoyment of building up record of “1cm”

Japanese record of 1m96cm for the women’s high jump is the “oldest” record which hasn’t been updated since 2001. Many years have passed since many players have tried and hampered to break the record. 24 year old Nagisa Takahashi is the most closest to breaking the record. She won her second consecutive world championship titles. With her impressive tall height of 173cm, she has achieved her personal best of 1m88cm this May. The hope of high jump athlete with a remarkable growth is continuing to challenge herself by facing challenges while having fun.

Ken Toyoda, Athletics – The pride of a “unique hurdler”, I am the only one who can do both 110 and 400.

The men's hurdles in Japan are more competitive than ever, and the athletes are competing against each other. In this situation, Ken Toyoda is aiming for the world stage in both the 110mH and 400mH. It is extremely unusual for these two disciplines to work together, partly because of the different natures required. The unique hurdler, who boasts of a blessed physique of 195 cm in height, expresses his pride about this difficult challenge, saying, “I am the only one who can do it.