From Kyodo
October 15 2026
TOKYO – Former Hakone Ekiden stage winner Yudai Shimazu will run for gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games after an eye disease prompted his move to para athletics.
The 26-year-old, a two-time stage winner in Japan’s prestigious university relay race, holds the men’s T13 5,000-meter world record for athletes with visual impairments.
Shimazu’s field of vision has progressively narrowed since his university days as the result of retinitis pigmentosa, leaving him with limited sight in the lower and outer areas of his visual field.
Encouraged by para athletics officials, he decided this year to compete in both non-disabled and para events with the 2028 Paralympics in mind.
He made his para debut at an international meet in Morocco in April, clocking a world-record 14 minutes, 3.45 seconds in the T13 5,000 after undergoing international classification.
Shimazu, who has spoken openly about his disability, said he hopes his performances can inspire others.
“I often hear that I’ve given people courage,” said Shimazu, who will be the overwhelming favorite for gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Para Games. “I want to keep running with everything I have.”
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