Team Introduction
WORLD-AC (World Athlete Club), having the motto of "Road to the World from Okayama!", aims to employ and train para sport athletes and contribute to the local community through para sports.
Moreover, to convey and disseminate the wonder of para sports, we aim to participate and achieve results (win medals) in various competitions inside and outside Japan.
WORLD-AC
Our thoughts on parasports and our challenges
WORLD-AC was established on March 1, 2016. There are still few examples of a company establishing a corporate parasports team in Japan, so this attracted a lot of attention.
Matsunaga serves as both a player and a coach. He wants to create an environment where young athletes can balance their work and athletic careers. He also wants to develop athletes who can take responsibility for both. This desire motivated the company. The decision was made to establish the team as a corporate team, and the team name was deliberately not taken from the company name, but rather ""WORLD"", with the lofty goal of aiming for the world.
In 2016, two athletes competed in the Rio Paralympics, making a start that lives up to the team name.
The team currently consists of two teams, WORLD-first (top team) and WORLD-second (second team), and each team is inspired by the other and has its own goals.
We are moving forward as a team, keeping in mind the important things that sports have to offer, both competing and having fun.
WORLD-first
Developing athletes who can compete on the world stage
WORLD-first, the top team, aims to develop athletes who can perform on the world stage.
Aiming to achieve high goals and results, the players work half the day on weekdays and train with highly specialized staff and coaches the other half.
As top athletes, they hone their careers while balancing the roles of "professional" and "athlete".
WORLD-second
Enhancing personal growth through various parasports
WORLD-second was formed with the desire to make sports more accessible to people, to experience the inherent fun of sports, and the joy of achieving goals while encouraging each other, while encouraging self-growth.
Sports is not just about winning; maintaining a healthy mind and body through sports may be the most important thing. Athletes use their free time from their regular work to train and participate in competitions at their own pace.
Whether you aim to become a top athlete or aim for your own goals, WORLD-second supports all parasports!
Team profile
| Official name | GROP SINCERITE WORLD-AC |
|---|---|
| Operating body | grop sincerite Co., Ltd. |
| Representative | Shogo Takata |
| Coach | Hitoshi Matsunaga |
| Department Director | Yugo Kusaka |
| Managers | Shinjiro Oki |
| Coach | Genta Shibao |
| Sports manager | Mana Minetoshi |
grop sincerite Co., Ltd. WORLD-AC BASE (training gym and secretariat)
| Address | 〒700-0953 1F 801-2 Nishiichi, Minami-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Contact | 〈main switchboard〉TEL：086-242-3525 FAX：086-242-3526 |
Map
Team History
| 2014, April | Mr. Matsunaga signed an athlete contract to join grop sincerite Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| 2015, September | Mr. Satoh joined the company as a regular employee |
| 2015, December | Mr. Ikoma joined the company as a regular employee |
| 2016, March | GROP SINCERITE WORLD-AC (World Athlete Club) is established |
| 2016, September | Matsunaga and Sato are selected to the Japan team for the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics. Sato wins silver medals in the T52 class 400m and 1500m races. |
| 2017, January | Official establishment of the second team WORLD-second |
| 2018, June | Opening of WORLD-AC BASE (Training Gym) in Shimonakano, Kita-ku, Okayama City |
| 2021, March | WORLD-AC BASE (training gym and secretariat) shifted to Kaminakano, Kita Ward, Okayama City |
| 2021, April | WORLD-second Hibiki Toyota stepped up to WORLD-first |
| 2021, September | Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games raw horses participate |
| 2024, September | Ikuma to compete at the Paris 2024 Paralympics |
| 2024, October | WORLD-AC BASE (training gym) relocated to Nishiichi, Minami-ku, Okayama City |
| 2025, April | Yoshida joined the company as a full-time employee. |
Team awards
| 2016 | Special Award, 13th Okayama Musashi Club Meet |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Group Award for Achievements in Sports |
