Tokyo 2016 to Pass 2008 Paralympic Games Knowledge to Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games
Tokyo, 4 September 2008 - Tokyo 2016 will attend the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games with a
keen eye on learning from the Chinese to ensure Tokyo hosts both a spectacular 2016 Paralympic Games and 2009 Asian Youth Para Games.
On return from Beijing, Tokyo 2016's team of technical experts will share key knowledge and best practice from the IOC Observer Programme with the organisers of the 2009 Asian Youth Para Games.
Staged using four proposed Tokyo 2016 venues, the Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games will ensure the city's Paralympic organisation skills are tested by world-class competition ahead of the 2016 Paralympic Games.
The Asian Youth Para Games will see 700 young athletes aged between 14 and 18 years old compete in six sports, including athletics, swimming and wheelchair tennis.
During the Asian Youth Para Games, the participants will stay in an Athletes' Village at the National Olympic Memorial Youth Centre, close to the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. The gymnasium will host goalball and table tennis competition at the event and is a legacy venue from the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games still in constant use today.
Tokyo was awarded the right to host the 2009 Asian Youth Para Games after convincing the Asian Paralympic Association - consisting of 40 nations across the continent - of a clear commitment to disability sport.
Dr Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of Tokyo 2016, said:
"We are very proud of Japan's high levels of accessibility and facilities available to ordinary people with disabilities through to our finest Paralympic athletes. We need to host the 2016 Paralympic Games in the heart of Tokyo to help us to stay at the forefront of this area and provide the Olympic Movement with an accessibility showcase of excellence.
"We are looking to China to learn invaluable lessons from the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, where I also can't wait to see some of our Japanese heroes in action. Our aim is to return to Tokyo with new insights for Tokyo 2016 that can also help the organisers of the Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games. We will work closely with them to begin to test some of the proposed initiatives for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2016, with the ultimate aim of uniting the youth of the world and older generations with Paralympic sport."
Japan is widely accepted as a leader in the provision of disabled facilities and one of the most accessible nations in the world for people with disabilities.
The Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games is organised by the Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games Organising Committee (TAYPOC). The Tokyo 2009 Games will be the second edition of the Asian Youth Para Games. TAYPOC recently unveiled their slogan, which is Your Dream, Our Legacy along with their website (www.tokyo2009.jp) and logo.
For further information, please contact:
Mihoko Nakagawa (Ms), Director, International Communications, TOKYO 2016
+81-3-5320-2480, mihoko.nakagawa@tokyo2016.or.jp
Masa Takaya (Mr), Manager, International Communications, TOKYO 2016
+81-3-5320-2480, masanori.takaya@tokyo2016.or.jp
keen eye on learning from the Chinese to ensure Tokyo hosts both a spectacular 2016 Paralympic Games and 2009 Asian Youth Para Games.
On return from Beijing, Tokyo 2016's team of technical experts will share key knowledge and best practice from the IOC Observer Programme with the organisers of the 2009 Asian Youth Para Games.
Staged using four proposed Tokyo 2016 venues, the Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games will ensure the city's Paralympic organisation skills are tested by world-class competition ahead of the 2016 Paralympic Games.
The Asian Youth Para Games will see 700 young athletes aged between 14 and 18 years old compete in six sports, including athletics, swimming and wheelchair tennis.
During the Asian Youth Para Games, the participants will stay in an Athletes' Village at the National Olympic Memorial Youth Centre, close to the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. The gymnasium will host goalball and table tennis competition at the event and is a legacy venue from the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games still in constant use today.
Tokyo was awarded the right to host the 2009 Asian Youth Para Games after convincing the Asian Paralympic Association - consisting of 40 nations across the continent - of a clear commitment to disability sport.
Dr Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of Tokyo 2016, said:
"We are very proud of Japan's high levels of accessibility and facilities available to ordinary people with disabilities through to our finest Paralympic athletes. We need to host the 2016 Paralympic Games in the heart of Tokyo to help us to stay at the forefront of this area and provide the Olympic Movement with an accessibility showcase of excellence.
"We are looking to China to learn invaluable lessons from the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, where I also can't wait to see some of our Japanese heroes in action. Our aim is to return to Tokyo with new insights for Tokyo 2016 that can also help the organisers of the Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games. We will work closely with them to begin to test some of the proposed initiatives for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2016, with the ultimate aim of uniting the youth of the world and older generations with Paralympic sport."
Japan is widely accepted as a leader in the provision of disabled facilities and one of the most accessible nations in the world for people with disabilities.
The Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games is organised by the Tokyo 2009 Asian Youth Para Games Organising Committee (TAYPOC). The Tokyo 2009 Games will be the second edition of the Asian Youth Para Games. TAYPOC recently unveiled their slogan, which is Your Dream, Our Legacy along with their website (www.tokyo2009.jp) and logo.
For further information, please contact:
Mihoko Nakagawa (Ms), Director, International Communications, TOKYO 2016
+81-3-5320-2480, mihoko.nakagawa@tokyo2016.or.jp
Masa Takaya (Mr), Manager, International Communications, TOKYO 2016
+81-3-5320-2480, masanori.takaya@tokyo2016.or.jp