IPC NEW LOGO
INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE
6975-Akari Kasamoto photo

Akari Kasamoto

Japanese flag
Japan
Swimming
1

Biography

Impairment information

Type of Impairment
Vision impairment
Origin of Impairment
Congenital
Classification
S13, SB13, SM13

Further personal information

Residence
Kobe, JPN
Occupation
Office Worker
Languages
Japanese
Higher education
Social Work Studies - Kobe Women's University: Japan

Sport specific information

When and where did you begin this sport?
She began swimming at age two. She took up Para swimming in 2005 in Kobe, Japan.
Why this sport?
Her parents suggested that she take up the sport, and she was inspired by the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.
Club / Team
Kobe Rakueikai [JPN] / Otsuka [JPN]:
Name of coach
Fumiyo Minemura [national], JPN; Masahiro Nishikawa [personal], JPN, from 2014

International debut

Year
2006
Competing for
Japan
Tournament
World Championships
Location
South Africa

General interest

Nicknames
Akarin (Athlete, 07 Aug 2013)
Hobbies
Para tennis. (Instagram profile, 01 Jan 2019)
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning a bronze medal at the 2010 World Championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Athlete, 06 Sep 2016)
Most influential person in career
Coach Kensuke Hanioka. (Athlete, 07 Aug 2013)
Hero / Idol
Canadian Para swimmer Chelsey Gotell. (Athlete, 06 Sep 2016)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Enjoy everything." (Athlete, 07 Aug 2013)
Awards and honours
In 2017 she was given an Excellence Award by the Hyogo Prefecture Para Sports Association in Japan. (kobe-np.co.jp, 08 Feb 2018)

She received the Hyogo Prefecture Excellent Athlete Award in 2014. (hyogo-c.ed.jp, 13 Feb 2015)
Impairment
Her visual impairment is a result of albinism. (mainichi.co.jp, 05 Sep 2008; ustream.tv, 23 Nov 2011)

Results

Unit Date Rank
IPC Swimming World Championships Durban 2006 (Durban, South Africa)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM13 Final Round 8
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM13 Heats 8
Women's 100 m Freestyle S13 Heats 14
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Final Round 5
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Heats 5
IPC Swimming World Championships Eindhoven 2010 (Eindhoven, Netherlands)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 50 m Freestyle S13 Final Round 7
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM13 Final Round 7
Women's 100 m Butterfly S13 Final Round 5
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Final Round 3
Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games (Beijing, China)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM13 Final Round 8
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Final Round 7
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Heat 1 3
Women's 100 m Butterfly S13 Heat 2 5
2013 IPC Swimming World Championships (Montreal, Canada)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 50 m Freestyle S13 Heat 2 2013-08-15 11
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Final 1 2013-08-17 4
2015 IPC Swimming World Championships (Glasgow, Great Britain)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM13 Heat 1 2015-07-14 19
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Heat 2 2015-07-15 5
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Final 1 2015-07-15 7
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB13 Heat 2 2015-07-17 15
Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM13 Heat 3 2016-09-10 6
Women's 50 m Freestyle S13 Heat 2 2016-09-14 7
Women's 100 m Backstroke S13 Heat 2 2016-09-17 6