Tomoki Sato won Japan's first athletics gold of the Tokyo Paralympics on Friday, coming from behind down the home straight to take the men's wheelchair T52 400-meter title at the National Stadium.
Sato, the 2019 world champion over both 400 and 1,500, finished strong to cross the line in 55.39 seconds. Raymond Martin of the United States, claimed silver 0.20 behind and Japan's Hirokazu Ueyonabaru won bronze.
Sato finally got his gold after winning two silver medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics. He has a chance of adding more metal to his collection in the 1,500 on Sunday.
"I'm very thankful that even with the COVID-19 pandemic I was able to participate," he said.
The host nation's first gold was won by swimmer Takayuki Suzuki on Thursday.
At 31 years of age, Sato entered the games as one of Japan's best hopes for athletics gold, and delivered with a show of power in the home stretch.
He only took the lead from two-time defending Paralympic 400 champion Martin with meters to spare, his front wheel lifting off the ground with each push toward the line.
"The start and first half of the race was at a faster pace than I had expected. It was a tight battle and that made it a little difficult to settle into a rhythm," said Sato, who burned through more energy than planned over the frenetic first 200 meters.
"At the point where I was furthest back, I thought 'that's that,' but as I sensed other athletes making their move alongside me, it made me feel like I could push on."
Ueyonabaru's bronze was his second Paralympic medal, but his first since he finished second in the Beijing T52 marathon in 2008. The 50-year-old is competing at his fourth Paralympics and had never before finished higher than sixth in 400 event.
"I'm really, really happy. To gain a medal here means a lot. There are so many people who supported me," he said.
"If you compete with younger athletes, you get a lot of inspiration and impulses from them. I was just thinking about going into this competition with all my might and energy."
