The Local Organising Committee

3rd General Meeting

The 3rd General Assembly of the Games Organizing Committee was held on June 25, 2020. It was held in writing as a response to the new coronavirus infection, and the business report and income and expenditure settlement for fiscal 2019 were approved.

2nd General Meeting

The second general meeting was held on February 17, 2020. During the meeting, there was a lively discussion about the business plan for FY2020. Furthermore, Mr. Koji Murofushi, a gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and Mr. Atsushi Yamamoto, a silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics who is expected to play an active role at the Tokyo Paralympics, were appointed as ambassadors who will promote the Championships. (In October 2020, Mr. Murofushi resigned from his position as a PR ambassador for the Championships due to his appointment as Commissioner of the Japan Sports Agency.)

2nd General Meeting

Inaugural Meeting

The Local Organising Committee of Kobe 2021 World Para Athletics Championships was established on the 11th of September, 2019. At the inaugural meeting, the purpose of the establishment of the Local Organising Committee, the bylaws of the Local Organising Committee, and the business plan and budget for FY2019 were discussed, and Ms. Akemi Masuda, President of the Japan Para Athletics Federation, was appointed as Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee.

Inaugural Meeting

Name

Formal name:
神戸2024世界パラ陸上競技選手権大会組織委員会

English name:
The Local Organizing Committee of Kobe 2024 Para Athletics World Championships

Constituent Groups

The Local Organising Committee consists of members from Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, the Japan Paralympic Committee, the Japan Para Athletics Federation, the Japan Association of Athletics Federations, the Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and other related organisations and groups in various fields such as sports, welfare, and tourism.

Tournament Ambassador/Supporter

The Organizing Committee of the Games will appoint those who have made achievements such as participating in world competitions as representatives of Japan in the fields of para-athletics and athletics as ambassadors, and those who have made achievements in sports, culture and academic fields other than para-athletics and athletics. We have entrusted various people as supporters to carry out activities to convey the appeal of parasports and the World Para Athletics Championships in preparation for the 2024 Kobe Games.

(Order of appointment)

Tournament Ambassador Atsushi Yamamoto (Appointed in February 2020)

Atsushi Yamamoto

Born April 19, 1982

Affiliation

Shin Nihon Jusetsu Co., Ltd.

Main Athletic Career History

  • Paralympics
    2008 Silver medal in Long jump at the Beijing Games
    2016 Silver medal in Long Jump and bronze medal in the 4x100m Relay at the Rio de Janeiro Games
  • World Para Athletics Championships
    2013 Gold medal in Long Jump at the Lyon Championships
    2015 Gold medal in Long Jump at the Doha Championships
    2017 Silver medal in Long Jump at the London Championships
    2019 Bronze medal in Long Jump at the Dubai Championships
  • Asian Para Games
    2010 Guangzhou Tournament 100m Gold Medal
    2014 Incheon Games 100m, long jump, 4x100m relay gold medal

Message

One of the unique features of para athletics competitions is that the athletes compete using equipment such as wheelchairs, throwing platforms, and prosthetic legs, and (in the blind events) they run with their guide runners. I hope people will see the athletes compete in many different ways. I'm also very excited to be able to compete in a venue packed with spectators, because it will be held the year after the Paralympics, so I'm sure everyone will be able to see a very high level of competition.

Tournament Ambassador Mizuki Noguchi (Appointed in January 2021)

Mr. Mizuki Noguchi

Born July 3, 1978

Affiliation

Iwatani Corporation (Athletics Club Advisor)

Main Athletic Career History

  • Olympics
    2004 Gold medal in the Women’s Marathon at the Athens Games (2:26:20)
  • World Athletics Championships
    2003 Silver medal in the Women’s Marathon in Paris (2:24:14)
  • International Women’s Marathon
    2002 First place in the Nagoya International Women’s Marathon (2:25:35)
    2003 First place in the Osaka International Women’s Marathon (2:21:18) *National record/meet record
    2007 First place in the Tokyo International Women’s Marathon (02:21:37) *Meet record
  • Others
    2005 First place in the Berlin Marathon (2:19:12) *Fastest time in Asia/Japan

Message

Kobe, where I lived for three years from 2013 until my retirement from sports, has a good environment with the sea and mountains nearby, so I think para athletes can perform comfortably. I would like to convey the appeal of the sports so that many people can see the dynamism of para athletes.

Tournament Ambassador Yoshifumi Nagao (Appointed in August 2022)

Mr. Yoshifumi Nagao

Born February 9, 1963

Affiliation

Anaori Carbon Co., Ltd.

Main Athletic Career History

  • Paralympics
    1988 Participated in the Seoul Games
    1992 Participated in Barcelona
    Participated in the 1996 Atlanta Games
    2000 Participated in the Sydney Games
    2004 Athens Games Captain of the Japanese team, 4 x 400m (T53/T54 class) Bronze medal
    2008 Participated in the Beijing Games
    2016 Rio de Janeiro tournament participation
  • others
    2015 Daniela Jutzeler Memorial 2015 Set a new Japanese record (14.07 seconds) in the T54 class at the 100m

Message

I was very excited when I learned that Kobe, my hometown, would host the World Para Athletics Championships. It would be wonderful if many people could see the speedy wheelchair race, the unimaginable prosthetic leg jump, and the united spirit of the blind runners and guide runners at the Universiade Memorial Stadium that everyone knows. Heel. Everyone, please support the athletes at the venue.

Tournament Ambassador Ms. Yuriko Kobayashi (Appointed in August 2022)

Ms. Yuriko Kobayashi

Born December 12, 1988

Main Athletic Career History

  • Olympic
    2008 Participated in the 5000m at the Beijing Olympics
  • World Athletics Championships
    2009 Participated in the 5000m World Championships (advance to the final)
  • others
    2006 Set a new Japanese record (at that time) in the women's 1500m with a time of 4:07.86

Message

I am very happy to have been appointed as a tournament ambassador. In 2024, I am excited that para-athletes from all over the world will gather here in Kobe. I would like to send a hot cheer so that the familiar Universiade Memorial Stadium will be full of enthusiasm and vigor, and that the venue will be united and excited.

Tournament Special Supporter Mr. Shinya Yamanaka (Appointed in September 2022)

Mr. Shinya Yamanaka

Born September 4, 1962

  • Biography
    1987 Graduated from Kobe University School of Medicine
    2003 Professor, Genetic Research and Education Center, Nara Institute of Science and Technology
    2004 Professor, Department of Induction of Regeneration, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University
    2007 Senior Investigator, Gladstone Institutes
    2007 Professor, Center for Integrated Materials-Cell Systems, Kyoto University
    2008 Director of iPS Cell Research Center, Center for Integrated Cell-Material Systems, Kyoto University
    2010 Director/Professor, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University
    2020 President of Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Foundation
    2022 Director Emeritus, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University

Message

It is a great honor to be appointed as a special supporter of the World Para Athletics Championships to be held in Kobe in 2024.
I spent 6 years of my university days in Kobe. I am very much looking forward to seeing the world's top para athletes play an active role in this memorable land. I would like to support the tournament in a small way as well.