For a while, it looked like another Asian Para Games final was slipping away from Japan. A two-goal lead had vanished in less than three minutes, world champions China were suddenly ahead, and the home crowd at Toyohashi Gymnasium had every reason to be nervous.
But Kazuya Kaneko had other ideas. The Japanese captain struck three times in the second half to turn a 3-2 deficit into a memorable 5-3 victory on Friday, securing Japan’s first men’s goalball gold at the Asian Para Games.
After bronze at Incheon 2014 and silver at Hangzhou 2022, Japan had finally reached the top of the podium. And they had done it by beating the reigning world champions.
“We had never won a gold medal in Asian Para Games before, so I’m really happy that we were finally able to do it here. And beating China, the world champions, makes it even more special,” Kaneko said.
From 2-0 Up To 3-2 Down
Japan had started exactly as planned, scoring twice before China’s Lai Liangyu produced a stunning hat-trick late in the first half.
Suddenly, the hosts were chasing the game.
“The ideal scenario we had pictured to beat China was to score first and then protect the lead,” said Japan’s Koji Miyajiki.
“But by the end of the first half, they had caught up with us and then gone ahead.”
Rather than panic, Japan used the interval to rethink their approach. Instructions from the coaching staff helped tighten their defence, while Kaneko began finding openings as China pushed forward.
“We gradually adjusted to China, and in the second half, we became more comfortable with the way they were playing,” Kaneko explained.
“When they started focusing more and more on their attack, we were able to capitalise on the counterattack.”
His three goals completed the turnaround, while Japan’s defence shut China out throughout the second half.
For Miyajiki, the victory offered an important lesson. “It wasn’t the kind of win where we scored first and held onto the lead, but we found a new way to beat China. It has given us a lot of confidence.”
A Little Rivalry, Plenty Of Gratitude
Miyajiki was quick to acknowledge Kaneko’s contribution, even if it meant admitting that his teammate had won their friendly scoring rivalry.
“Normally, we push each other and compete almost as rivals to see who can score more goals. But in this tournament, he really helped us a lot,” he said.
“Personally, I’m a little frustrated that I contributed more defensively than offensively, but at the same time, I’m just really grateful to him for scoring those goals.”
The celebrations provided one of the day’s lighter moments. As the Japanese players received their medals, they held hands and jumped together on the podium, drawing smiles from the crowd.
“We wanted to show everyone that even a muscular team can be cute,” Kaneko joked.
Then came a more heartfelt message. “The support we received gave us so much energy and courage. I hope we were able to give at least some of it back to everyone.”
China Deny Japan A Golden Double
Earlier, China’s women had successfully defended their title with a disciplined 2-0 victory over Japan.
The Japanese defence made scoring difficult, but China remained patient and took their opportunities.
“They are very good at defence,” China’s Xu Miao acknowledged.
“So the coach told us to focus on the game. One goal is a win, and 10 goals is also a win.”
It was a simple assessment of a final in which the defending champions did just enough to retain their crown.
Thailand Make Their Own History
There was another milestone in the women’s competition as Thailand defeated the Republic of Korea 3-1 to claim bronze.
It was Thailand’s first Asian Para Games goalball medal and the first time a nation outside China, Japan, Iran and the Republic of Korea had reached the podium in the sport.
The Korean men also finished with bronze after beating Iran 6-4.
But the lasting image from Toyohashi belonged to Japan’s men, celebrating together on the podium after finally ending their long wait for gold.
They had beaten China 13-6 in the preliminary round and arrived in the final knowing they could challenge the world champions. Yet this was a very different contest, one that tested their composure when everything appeared to be going wrong.
Japan did not win by protecting an early lead. They won by finding a way back after losing it. And for Kaneko and his teammates, that made the gold all the sweeter.Brief results:Men’s final: Japan beat China 5-3; bronze: Republic of Korea beat Iran 6-4. Women’s final: China beat Japan 2-0; bronze: Thailand beat Republic of Korea 3-1.
