23日から始まるグランドスラム大阪のため、海外から続々選手が来日しています。
その中にリオ五輪に出場した
ポポル・ミセンガ選手（コンゴ民主共和国出身、ブラジル在住）の姿もあります。
▲来日したポポル選手（中央）とダニエルコーチ（左から2人目）。
山下泰裕先生、光本健次先生とともに
Popole Misenga (center) and Coach Daniel (2nd from the left)
Standing together with them are Yasuhiro Yamashita Sensei and Kenji Mitsumoto Sensei
ポポル選手は2016年リオ・オリンピックのときにIOCが結成した難民選手団の一員として出場、
日本でもその様子が報じられていましたので
ご存じの方も方もいらっしゃるかと思います。
昨年、私もポポルさんと日本で会談、
柔道へのひたむきな姿勢と、
厳しい境遇に向き合うまっすぐな人柄に心を動かされた一人です。
今回、ポポル選手は、私の恩師・山下泰裕先生が理事長を務める
NPO法人柔道教育ソリダリティーの支援によって、ダニエルコーチとともに来日しました。
私たちも何か少しでもお力になれることはないだろうかと考え、
私の柔道普及活動にご協力いただいている「井上康生後援会」からも、
お二人の滞在をサポートさせていただいています。
▲ポポル選手へ柔道衣を贈呈。私が代表して贈呈役を務めさせていただきました
Judogi as a gift for Popole. I was the chosen representative to present Popole with his judogi.
▲ダニエルコーチにも柔道衣を贈呈しました
We presented Coach Daniel with judogi as well.
ポポル選手は今回は男子100kg級に出場します。
みなさん、日本選手とともにぜひご注目ください！
Popole Misenga and Coach Daniel
Several athletes are coming from around the world for the Osaka Grand Slam that starts on the 23rd.
Popole Misenga (born in Democratic Republic of the Congo, living in Brazil),
who competed in the Rio Olympics is one such athlete.
Popole competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics on the Refugee Team that was created that year.
This story was covered in Japan as well so a lot of you may already know about him.
Last year, I had a talk with Popole in Japan and was moved by his undivided attention
to judo and his drive to move forward even in the harsh circumstances of his life.
This time, Popole came together with Coach Daniel to support the NPO Solidarity of Judo Education
that my ex-coach, Yasuhiro Yamashita Sensei, is the chief director of.
Wondering if there was anything they could do to be of help,
the "Kosei Inoue Supporters Association", the association dedicated to supporting my activities to spread the popularity of judo, is also supporting Popole and Daniel during their stay in Japan.
Popole is going to compete in the Men’s -100 kg class this time.
Everyone, please keep your eyes on their activities along with the Japanese athletes!