Kyushu University’s Mitsuya Tanaka to Compete in Para Taekwondo at Paris 2024

Mitsuya Tanaka, a second-year master’s student at Kyushu University, is set to represent Japan in Para taekwondo (Men’s K44-58kg) at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. His match will take place on August 29, 2024, at 5 p.m. Japan Standard Time (10 a.m. Central European Summer Time). Tanaka is currently studying at the Health and Sport Sciences Course in the Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences of the Graduate School of Human-Environment Studies.

Tanaka has experienced a variety of sports, starting with kendo in his childhood and soccer during his school days.

Born with a bilateral upper limb deficiency, Tanaka transformed his diverse sports background into a career as a para-athlete and began Para taekwondo in earnest in 2017. Capitalizing on his long reach to strike with precision, he earned his place in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

While continuing his athletic career, Tanaka is engaged in academic research. Now, under the guidance of Associate Professor Wakaki Uchida at the Faculty of Human-Environment Studies, Tanaka is researching the transformation of disability identity for athletes transitioning to para-athletes. As both a student and an athlete, he is committed to making a positive impact on people and society.