The Tokyo Paralympics, now four days away, will run for 13 days from August 24 through September 5, with 22 sports and 539 events. Japan will send 255 athletes (149 men, 106 women), the largest team ever, topping the 163 who went to Athens in 2004. The gold-medal target is 20, aiming to avenge the shutout at Rio 2016.
On the final day, Sunday, September 5, the marathon starts and finishes at Olympic Stadium, and the athletes will race along Hakusan-dori on the east side of the Palaceside Building. The Tokyo marathon has three classes and five events: (1) visually impaired, (2) upper-limb amputation or impairment, and (3) wheelchair. Nine Japanese men and women will compete.
The one to watch is Misato Michishita in the visually impaired class. Small at 144 cm, she won silver in Rio. She has since broken world records at the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon and the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon, and hopes for a medal are high.
On race day the Palaceside Building parking entrance (Hakusan-dori side) will be closed from early morning until before noon, among other traffic controls. Please take note.