Wheelchair tennis player Shingo Kunieda receives the People's Honor Award from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Friday. "This is a testament to the greater recognition the Paralympics now has," the 39-year-old Kunieda said as he attended the presentation ceremony with his wife Ai, and his mother, Tamano. "I would really appreciate it if this helped to create a more hospitable environment for the sport."
Kunieda won his third Paralympic singles gold medal in Tokyo in 2021 before completing his career "Golden Slam" with a Wimbledon victory in 2022. He boasts 28 singles and 22 doubles Grand Slam titles.
Kunieda began using a wheelchair at the age of 9 as the result of a spinal tumor and took up tennis in his final year of elementary school on the advice of his mother.
© Kyodo
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tamanegi
Congratulations on your well deserved honor Kunieda-san.
And congratulations on a fantastic career. You are an inspiration to all. Good luck in your sports retirement but I believe you are still working professionally at a university.
Banzai!
Spitfire
Mr.Kunieda you should have delivered the first pitch at Japan's opening game at the WBC rather than the attention seeking Kishida who still has tons of Unified Church/LDP connections to answer to.
Dr.Cajetan Coelho
Wheelchair tennis player Shingo Kunieda is an inspiration.