Ashida HAJIMU

Osaka-born ASHIDA Hajimu has never considered his disability to be a handicap. He cannot move his right arm freely as a result of a cancerous tumour which was diagnosed when he was five years old, but is a key member of Japan's para athletics team preparing for a home Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Ashida grew up a sports-mad child, playing table tennis in junior high school using his left hand despite being right-hand dominant. When he moved on to high school, he joined the track club, where he blossomed as a 400m runner. It was a passion he continued into university, during which time he made his international debut at the IPC World Para Athletics Championships in 2013.

However, a setback followed – Ashida missed out on qualifying for the 2014 Asian Para Games, which caused some long soul-searching. "When I was not able to compete at the 2014 Asian Para Games, I was worried about my future as an athlete. I even considered leaving the Para athletics scene." But the Japanese took things in his stride, choosing to switch from his favoured 400m event to the jumping lane.