FUJIHARA Satoi: A Competitor in Two Consecutive Deaflympics, Winning 14 Medals

What was it that got you interested in swimming?
“We’ve always had a rule in the Fujihara family that we should be able to swim, so my brother and sister also took swimming lessons. My parents encouraged me to start taking swimming lessons in early elementary school as a way to help me overcome my chronic asthma.”

So, have you always been good at swimming?
“I didn’t want to swim at first, let alone even put my face in the water. I had to start by getting used to being in the water. From there, I gradually learned how to swim, and as I became able to swim longer and faster, I started enjoying it more. When your times get better and better and you can see that you’re progressing, it’s a really encouraging thing.”

You not only practiced with but also competed against people without disabilities.
“At the time, I didn’t know that there were separate competitions for swimmers who are hard of hearing, so I had been practicing under the same conditions as people without hearing impairments since I was in elementary school. But there was a part of me that felt that I had to do my best in that situation despite my disability.”

Compared to regular competitions, where you were competing with a handicap, were you able to concentrate more completely on your swimming at the Deaflympics?
“My first time at the Deaflympics was in Samsun in 2017, and the ‘hearing support’ that I experienced there was, in a sense, kind of a shock. For example, they use a flashing light to signal the start of a race as opposed to sound, and in the long-distance races, they place a board in the water to let you know when the final turn is, instead of ringing a bell. With the help of support like that, I was able to put all my energy into my swimming, and my results ended up being better than I expected. I set a new world record in the men’s 1,500-meter freestyle, and also new Deaflympic records in the men’s 400-meter freestyle and 400-meter individual medley.”

A lot of people will likely be learning about the Deaflympics for the first time.
“First of all, I feel that the best way to raise awareness about hearing disabilities is through this competition. Instead of sound, the competitors use things like light and text to make their decisions and communicate using sign language. It’s also a good opportunity for people to learn about other creative ways people communicate when they’re unable to hear.”

It’s also a chance for people to feel closer to those with hearing disabilities.
“People tend to view disabilities in a negative light, but disabled people are every bit as cheerful and positive as anyone else. Many of them have great strength in their hearts, and every time I meet another disabled athlete, I also feel like I’m getting some of that positive energy from them.”