What is a “guide skier” who supports visually impaired athletes? Transmitting course information and positioning while skating together
Become the "eyes" of visually impaired athletes on the snow. Yuhei Fujita (29) = Sports Field = will participate in the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games, which will open on the 4th, as a guide skier who will guide skiers in pairs with Nordic skiers. It supports the foundation of Paralympics, where everyone fights fairly regardless of their disability. (Jun Takahashi)
Ryohei Ariyasu (right) and Yuhei Fujita, a guide skier, coordinating at the venue = Zhangjiakou (jointly)
◆Voice instructions, ascertaining where to win
The left curve is approaching. "3, 2, 1, left, left, left, turn". entered the curve. "Left, left, left... It's bent" Mr. Fujita had a small microphone on his mouth and a speaker on his back. Slide 3 to 4 meters in front of the athletes and communicate information about the rapidly changing course by voice. When overtaking other players, instruct the positioning. A heart rate monitor worn on the wrist can be used to check the athlete's fatigue level and decide when to win. After the race, he says, "My head is exhausted." "I'm from Hokkaido." Aspiring to become a coach from a distance runner, he entered Waseda University Graduate School in 2015, and was invited by a member of the Japan Ski Federation for the Disabled to become a guide. Intrigued by the unknown world, I accepted without hesitation. While the guide's teaching method has not been established, I searched for the best form by repeatedly talking with the blind athlete who formed a combination. In 2018, he made his debut in PyeongChang, South Korea.Ryohei Ariyasu (right) and guide skier Yuhei Fujita = Zhangjiakou (jointly)
◆Concurrent coach, qualified to participate in half a year
In May 2019, I met Ryohei Ariyasu (35) = Tokyu Elife Design = who is a partially sighted pair in Beijing. The player I supported in PyeongChang retired from the line and was looking for a new partner. Ariyasu, who participated in the Tokyo Paralympic Games last summer by boat, was looking for a guide to incorporate skiing into his training. He also serves as a coach for Ariyasu, who is a "ski beginner". First of all, I touched the equipment, put on the board and solidified the foundation from "toddler walking". In the new coronavirus disaster, training by connecting each other's homes online. When Ariyasu devoted himself to skiing after the Tokyo Paralympics, they spent "more time than family" together, such as training camps and overseas expeditions. Due to the postponement of the Tokyo Games, the preparation period for Beijing is only half a year. Even so, the back muscles and basic stamina that he had trained on the boat proved useful in skiing, and he barely qualified for the tournament just before the competition. The race is 20km long and the speed exceeds 40km. It is also essential to improve the running ability of the individual guide. One of the menus is "Slide while listening to music and humming to it." The aim is to disrupt the rhythm of breathing. It is a training that assumes a race where vocalization is required at unintended timing.◆Understanding the background of partner athletes
When guiding, he engraves in his heart, "Don't just look at your partner's eyes, but know their background and interact with them." One time, I had an argument with a player I teamed up with in Pyeongchang. With the feeling that he had been on the front line as an athlete until his college days, he hit the idea that ``if you are an athlete, you should do this much''. The words that came back were "I have my background". For the first time on the spot, I heard about his "lifestyle", such as how he got his disability and his thoughts on training, and realized that he had been imposing his own values. This experience still feeds me. Ariyasu trusts his younger partner, who he calls "Fujita-kun", as "one heart". Mr. Fujita also said, "Mr. Ryohei's positivity and kindness are very supportive during difficult times. He is someone you can rely on." The gap with the top players is large, but first we aim to win a prize. Since the guides also receive medals, the dream is for the two of them to stand on the podium together. [Related article] Beijing Paralympics, local interest low, barrier-free urban areas halfwayRelated keywords
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