Naoya Nagata: Toward the Olympic and Paralympic Games

2018/12/19

With the decision to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, the sports world has become very active. At Keio University as well, it has been decided that the British team will hold a pre-games training camp at the Hiyoshi Campus. As part of the preparations, the Institute of Physical Education, to which I belong, is conducting student-led activities titled the "KEIO2020project" to prepare for welcoming the athletes visiting Hiyoshi.

It is self-evident that meticulous preparation is necessary for athletes to perform to the best of their abilities at the games. This preparation requires strengthening and adjusting not only the physical but also the psychological aspects of the athletes. In this regard, sports psychology conducts research on the psychological strengthening and adjustment of athletes.

This research was also conducted for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as a study on "performance anxiety." Based on the results of research continuing from the previous Tokyo Games, I am also supporting athletes aiming to participate in the Olympics and Paralympics as a certified Sport Mental Training Consultant of the Japanese Society of Sport Psychology and as a staff member of the Japan Paralympic Committee Medical, Science, and Information Support (Psychology division).

As the actual event approaches, athletes prepare by simulating the competition in addition to their training. In 2020, there will be less preparation involved for overseas competitions compared to before. Because the travel distance is short, there is no jet lag. They can watch Japanese television and hear cheers in Japanese.

On the other hand, there are also points of concern. The abundance of Japanese means that unnecessary information may also reach them. This could be information that increases the athletes' anxiety. Furthermore, being able to understand the cheers could potentially become a source of pressure for the athletes. While there are not only advantages, athletes must become able to perform to their full potential in any situation.

There is about a year and a half left until the opening of the Olympics and Paralympics. I hope to work together with the athletes to make good preparations so that they can overcome various situations and turn them into strength.