Seiya Norimatsu (乗松 聖矢, Norimatsu Seiya, born April 2, 1990) is a Japanese wheelchair rugby player who currently plays for Team SMBC and the Japanese national team.
| Date of birth | April 2, 1990 | ||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Ōmuta, Fukuoka, Japan | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Wheelchair rugby player | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
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Background
editNorimatsu was born in Ōmuta, Fukuoka and was raised in Fukuoka Prefecture.[1][2] He graduated from Ariake National College of Technology.[1]
Career
editDue to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, Norimatsu was wheelchair bound from the age of 12, started wheelchair basketball at the age of 16, and switched to wheelchair rugby at the age of 23.[3] He was selected to represent Japan at the 2016 Summer Paralympics and contributed to the team's first medal win.
In 2021, Norimatsu was selected as a recommended player for the Japanese national team for the 2020 Summer Paralympics and won a bronze medal.[4][5] In 2024, he was again selected as a recommended athlete for the Japanese national team for the 2024 Summer Paralympics, with whom he won a gold medal.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b "乗松聖矢さん講演会" (in Japanese). 大牟田市教育委員会. 26 June 2021.
- ^ "車いすラグビー 乗松聖矢 選手（SMBC公式）". Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "Team SMBC Interview Movie乗松 聖矢 車いすラグビー篇" (in Japanese). SMBCグループ. 26 June 2021.
- ^ "東京2020パラリンピック競技大会日本代表推薦選手について JWRF 一般社団法人 日本車いすラグビー連盟" (in Japanese). 日本車いすラグビー連盟. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "【東京パラリンピック】「日本ラグビー」で2大会連続銅メダル！ 池主将のリーダーシップと仲間たち" (in Japanese). ラグビー共和国. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Japan beats U.S. to clinch first Paralympics wheelchair rugby gold". Japan Today. 3 September 2024.
- ^ Close, David (2 September 2024). "Japan defeats USA to win wheelchair rugby gold at Paris Paralympics". CNN.