MEMBER

TOP>Introduction to Athletes>Hitoshi Matsunaga

Introduction to Athletes

Hitoshi Matsunaga

Athlete & Coach, Event class T53

  • Born in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture on September 15, 1972
  • Resident of Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

He started competing at the age of 18 and achieved his goal of appearing in the Paralympics in 2008. Despite being regarded as a late developer, he also appeared at the London Paralympics in 2012 and was captain of the Japan para-athletics team at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics in 2016. As team coach, in addition to training two young hopefuls, he aims to compete together with them at Tokyo 2020, which will be his fourth Paralympics.

He also conducts athletics classes in Okayama Prefecture. Under the slogan of "Disabled and non-disabled people running together", he has launched an NPO in collaboration with Tenmanya Athletics Team and Okayama University and holds athletics classes with the aim of conveying the fun and wonder of sports to disabled persons, non-disabled persons, children and adults. In addition, he conducts lectures, etc. all over Japan, conveying the importance of having a dream and moving forward towards one's goals.

Profile

1987 Enrolled at Okayama Prefectural Higashi Okayama Technical High School, where he joined the athletics club
1988 Lost functioning of both lower limbs (spinal injury) in a road accident
1991 Started Para athletics
2001 Joined Zenotech AC
2004 Started his career as a professional athlete
2006 Employed (part-time) at the Vocational Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities
Para athletics competition advisor for Momotaro Yume Club (NPO)
2008 Member of the Japan Para Athletics National Team at the Beijing Paralympics
2012 Member of the Japan Para Athletics National Team at the London Paralympics
2014 Joined grop sincerite Co., Ltd. as an athlete
2016 Captain of the Japan Para Athletics National Team at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics
2017 Captain of the Japan team at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London
2018 Appointed as a director of grop sincerite Co., Ltd.
2018 Took part in the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games
PB (personal best records)
100m 15.42
2024.2.13 Dubai 2024 World Para Athletics Grand Prix – Fazza 2024
400m 50.60
2024.2.14 Dubai 2024 World Para Athletics Grand Prix – Fazza 2024
800m 1:40.00
2017.5.25 Daniela Jutzeler Memorial
4×400m relay 3:10.60 (NR)
2017.7.2  22nd Kanto Para Athletics Championships
Hobbies Craftwork, automobiles
Nickname Hee-san
Favorite foods Sweets and slightly spicy things
Foods not liked Sour things
Motto “Walk the talk”, “Dreams are to be realized, goals are to be attained”

Personal support

Main Results in Competition

2023 Nottwil 2023 World Para Athletics Grand Prix 800m 7th place, 400m 7th place
2023 Swiss Nationals 2023 400m 23rd place (T53-54 overall), 800m 33rd place (T53-54 overall)
2023 Daniela Jutzeler Memorial 2023 400m 4th place, 800m 3rd place
2023 34th Japan Para Athletics Championships 100m Victory, 400m Victory
2023 127th Boston Marathon Full Marathon Wheelchair Men's 22nd Place
2023 Emperor's Cup 34th National Wheelchair Ekiden Race Okayama team 3rd place
2023 Tokyo Marathon 2023 Full Marathon Wheelchair Overall 13th Place
2023 Osaka Marathon 2023 Full marathon 4th place
2023 11th WPA Meeting Sharjah 400m 6th place,800m 6th place
2023 2023 GIO Oz Day 10k 10km marathon 8th overall (2nd in masters)
2022 2023 GIO Summer Down Under Series 400m 6th place, 800m 6th place
2022 The 41st Oita International Wheelchair Marathon Full marathon 11th place
2022 31st Bizen City Athletics Championships 100m Victory
2022 Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon 2022 Wheelchair half T53/54 (male) 8th overall wheelchair
2022 The 34th Okayama Kibi Kougen Wheelchair Fureai Road Race Half marathon 2nd place
2022 Hamanasu Wheelchair Marathon 2022 Half Marathon 9th (Class 3)
2022 The 12th BIZEN Night Athletics Festival 200m 3rd place
2022 90th Hyogo Athletics Championships 100m 3rd place
2022 Daniela Jutzeler memorial 2022 400m 4th place, 800m 2nd place
2022 Nottwil 2022 WPA Grand Prix 400m 4位 800m 2位
2022 2022 Japan Para Athletics Games 400m DQ, 800m Victory
2022 18th Nagano Wheelchair Marathon Half marathon 6th place
2021 Nottwil 2021 World Para Athletics Grand Prix 400m 6th, 800m 7th
2021 Swiss Nationals 400m 4th, 800m 5th
2021 Daniela Jutzeler Memorial 400m 4th, 800m 4th
2021 2021 Japan Para Athletics Tournament 400m Champion, 800m Champion
2021 32nd Japan Para Athletics Championships 400m Champion,800m Champion
2020 Oita Wheelchair Marathon Half-marathon Sixth place
2020 25th Kanto Para Athletics Championships 400m Champion, 800m Champion
2020 31st Japan Para Athletics Championships 400m Second place, 800m Second place
2020 Canberra International Track Meet 400m Fifth place, 800m Fifth place
2019 31st National Wheelchair Marathon Full marathon Second place
2019 World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2019 400m General 12th place, 800m General Tenth place
2019 2019 Japan Para Athletics Tournament 400m Champion, 800m Champion
2019 The 24th Kanto Para Athletics Championships 400m Champion, 800m Champion
2019 Daniela Jutzeler Memorial 400m 12th place, 800m Eighth place
2019 Nottwil 2019 WPA Grand Prix 400m Nine place, 800m Nine place
2019 15th Nagano Wheelchair Marathon General Second place
2019 30th National Wheelchair Ekiden Race Okayama Team, Fifth place
2019 11th Fazza Para Athletics Championships 400m Fourth place, 800m Bronze medal
2019 9th WPA Meeting Sharja 400m Fourth place, 800m Silver medal, 1500m 15th place
2019 GIO Oz Day 10K 10㎞ marathon General Tenth place (masters Fourth place)
2019 Sydney Twilight Track Meet 400m General 12th place
2019 Canberra International Track Meet 400m second place, 800m Second place, 1500m Second place
2018 38th Oita International Wheelchair Marathon General 19th place
2018 Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games 400m Seventh place, 800m Sixth place
2018 29th Japan Para Athletics Championships 400m & 800m Champion, 1500m general Eighth place
2018 The 33rd Kushiro Marsh National Wheelchair Marathon Half-marathon, General Second place
2018 2018 Japan Para Athletics 400m & 800m & 1500m Champion
2018 23rd Kanto Para Athletics Championships 400m & 800m Champion (GR), 1500m Champion
2018 102nd Japan Athletics Championships 1500m General Ninth place
2018 Daniela Jutzeler Memorial 400m Second place, 800m Fourth place
2018 Nottwil 2018 WPA Grand Prix 400m Seventh place, 800m Sixth place
2018 Swiss Nationals 200m Third place, 400m Third place, 800m Fourth place
2018 14th Nagano Wheelchair Marathon General Second place
2018 29th National Wheelchair Ekiden Race Okayama Team, Fifth place
2018 8th WPA Meeting Sharjah 400m Fourth place, 800m Fifth place, 1500m 19th place
2018 Canberra International Track Meet 200m Second place, 400m Second place, 800m Fourth place
2018 Sydney Twilight Track Meet 4×200mR Winner・4×400mR Winner
2018 Oz Day 10K 10㎞ marathon General Ninth (master Third place)
2017 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London competed
2017 22nd Kanto Para Athletics Championships 400m & 800m Champion, 4 x 400m Relay Champion, new Japanese record (NR)
2017 28th Japan Para Athletics Championships 400m & 800m Champion, 4 x 400m Relay Champion, new Japanese record (NR)
2017 Nottwil 2017 WPA Grand Prix 4 x 400mR Champion
2017 Swiss Nationals 4 x 400mR Second place, new Japanese record (NR)
2017 Daniela Jutzeler Memorial 800m Fifth place
2017 2017 Desert Challenge 400m Bronze medal, 800m Gold medal
2017 Oita Para Games 2017 100m, 200m, 400m & 800m Second place
2017 13th Nagano Wheelchair Marathon Half-marathon Fifth place
2017 Dubai 2017 World Para Athletics GP 400m Fifth place, 800m Third place
2017 28th National Wheelchair Ekiden Race Okayama Team, Third place
2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics competed
2016 2016 Japan Para Athletics 100m Champion, 400m & 800m Second place
2016 27th Japan Para Athletics Championships 100m Champion, 400m & 800m Second place
2016 Oz Day 10k 10㎞ marathon General Eighth place (master Third place)
2015 35th Oita International Wheelchair Marathon Half-marathon Second place
2015 IPC Athletics World Championships 400m & 800m Eighth place
2015 27th National Wheelchair Marathon Half-marathon Champion
2015 2015 Japan Para Athletics 100m, 400m & 800m Champion
2015 26th Japan Para Athletics Championships 100m, 400m & 800m Champion
2014 Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games 400m Fourth place, 800m Fifth place
2012 London Paralympics competed
2008 Beijing Paralympics competed
2005 Euro Championship 200m Gold medal, 400m Silver medal

Main Awards

2020 Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award
2019 Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award
2018 Minister of Education, Sports, Science and Technology Award for Distinguished Service to Sports, etc.
2018 2017 Okayama Prefecture Top Athlete Award, Sports Honor Award
2017 2016 Okayama Prefecture Top Athlete Award, Sports Honor Award
2017 56th Okayama Sports wards, Award for Distinguished Services
2017 Okayama City Hitomi Kinue Sports Award, Sports Honor Award
2016 Minister of Education, Sports, Science and Technology Award for Distinguished Service to Sports, etc.

See More Race Results

Message

In recent times, Paralympic culture has steadily become more prominent in Japan too. The Olympics feature many wonderful sports, but I want people to realize that para sports are an element of such competition and interesting enough to enthrall spectators. We fit our bodies into racing frames called racers, hone our remaining functions to the limit and train our minds so that we can compete over tenths and even hundredths of a second. The sight of athletes running at speeds of more than 30 km/h on a road or track surely provides the basic enjoyment of “watching” sport.

As I aim to promote such competition, I want to disseminate and develop para sports, improve myself, and connect with numerous people while setting my roots and receiving support in the local community.

Signature:Hitoshi Matsunaga

  • Hitoshi Matsunaga

  • Tomoki Ikoma

  • Hibiki Toyota

Club top partner

Club partner

Club sponsor

Club supporter

SUPPLIER PARTNERS

Inquiries