Tomoki Sato, a para-athlete affiliated with Morisawa (who achieved a double gold in the men's T52 1500m and 400m at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics), competed in three events held in Switzerland from May 14 to May 23, 2026. He set new Asian and Japanese records in the 100m event and achieved top-tier results in other events as well.
Following the conclusion of the events, Sato provided the following comment:
"Thank you as always for your support. I am Tomoki Sato. I have successfully completed all nine races across the three events during the Switzerland expedition.
The first two events took place under severe conditions with rain and wind, and temperatures below 10°C, so I was unable to achieve satisfactory results. However, even under these adverse conditions, I was able to record a time in the 400m that significantly surpassed my own world record (55.13 seconds), making me feel a renewed sense of growth and response. Additionally, in the 100m, not only did I become able to record times consistently in the 16-second range, but I also updated my personal best, the Japanese record, and the Asian record. I truly feel that I am steadily growing as a competitor, which gives me great confidence.
I am very happy to feel the intensity of this experience precisely because it is still precarious and fragile. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my coach, Arno, who has supported the process up to this point and believed in me, as well as to my sponsors, suppliers, fans, and teammates with whom I can face the competition and push each other to higher levels. I am also grateful to my wife and son who always send me off with a smile, even though I am away from home often for expeditions and tournaments.
I have more races scheduled domestically this year, and I look forward to meeting you at the venues. Thank you for your continued support."
Morisawa will continue to fully support Tomoki Sato as he challenges himself to achieve further potential.
Competition Overview
### Daniela Jutzeler Memorial – Arbon 2026 Dates: May 14, 2026 (Thu) Results: - 100m: 17.14 seconds (2nd place) - 400m: 54.15 seconds (2nd place) - 1500m: 3:45.98 (1st place)
### 52nd Swiss Nationals 2026 – Arbon Dates: May 16, 2026 (Sat) Results: - 100m: 16.85 seconds (3rd place) - 400m: 54.38 seconds (2nd place) - 1500m: 3:31.21 (1st place)
### Nottwil 2026 WPA Grand Prix Dates: May 21 (Thu) - 23 (Sat), 2026 Results: - 100m: 16.57 seconds (2nd place) *Personal best, new Japanese record, new Asian record - 400m: 54.50 seconds (1st place) - 1500m: 3:21.70 (1st place) *Season best
Future Schedule for Sato June 13 (Sat) - 14 (Sun): WPA Approved 37th Japan Para Athletics Championships (Ishikawa Prefectural Athletics Stadium) *Tournament schedules are subject to change.
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: Event