これから夏本番で暑くなりますね…という前にかなり暑い日が続いていますね。夏バテ気味の方でパワーダウンしている方もいらっしゃるのではないのでしょうか？暑い夏を乗り切るためのパワーを世界中に届けられる話題をご紹介します！
「Co-Co Life☆女子部 vol.31『パラビューティー』」で倉橋香衣さんにインタビューさせて頂いた記事がSalesforce社会貢献部門のご協力により英訳されました。
パワフルな倉橋香衣さんの声に元気を貰って、今年の夏をホットに楽しんでいきましょう！
日本語版と見比べながら読んでみると、英語の勉強にも役立つかも！？
※記事の内容は取材当時（2019年10月）のものであり、倉橋香衣選手は2021年4月にAXEに移籍しています。
※Ms.Kurahashi transferred to AXE in April 2021
Para Beauty
Featuring the brilliance of female athletes in the world
Photos (Main): Tomoya Suzuki, Text: Yu Nagatani, Editor: Yumi Takahashi
Kae Kurahashi
Wheelchair rugby
Kae Kurahashi
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1990.
A wheelchair rugby player
Chosen as the sole female wheelchair athlete representing Japan in 2017, only after starting to play the sport in 2015.
The expectation is high for her play during this year’s Tokyo Paralympics.
※撮影日:2019年10月31日（2021年4月にAXEに移籍している）
※Photo shooting date: October 31, 2019（She transferred to AXE in April 2021）
Kurahashi injured her cervical cord in a trampoline accident when she was in college. During rehabilitation, she thought “I will not give up my past lifestyle” and met wheelchair rugby.
Fascinated by the intensity of what is called murder balls, Kurahashi joined the wheelchair rugby team “BLITZ” in 2015. Two years later, she was elected to the Japanese national team as the only female player.
The biggest attraction of wheelchair rugby for her was that it is the only contact sport in wheelchair competition. Diversity of players was also one of the attractions, with the roles divided according to the degrees of disability in a team of four people, irrespective of gender. Each person understands each other’s abilities, communicates with each other, and contributes one’s best to the team.
Kurahashi is a low pointer, who blocks the opponent’s movement while colliding violently in a competition wheelchair. When asked if she is afraid, she smiles and says “It’s fun, and it’s exciting to overcome challenges.”
Japan impressed the world by being in the top eight at its first ever Rugby World Cup. At the Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge held around the same time, Japan made it in 3rd place. At this year’s Tokyo Paralympics, it is highly expected that they win the first medals since the Rio Paralympics.
She works once a week in the office of the company supporting her, and spends every day training and playing games. “I am grateful to the company for supporting my kind of lifestyle. I am happy when my colleagues come to watch me in the match.”
Kurahashi smiles ear to ear. We asked her about her future goals.
“I’m working hard for the Tokyo Paralympics now. It’d be exciting if more women watch the game and want to play the sport!”
