TOYOTA Special Olympics

JP

Event

Feb. 01, 2025

Alvark Tokyo Home Game Special Olympics Day

Event support

On Saturday, February 1, 2025, the 8th "Special Olympics Day" was held at the National Yoyogi Gymnasium No. 1 in Shibuya, Tokyo.

The event was held alongside the official B.LEAGUE game between Alvark Tokyo and the Ryukyu Golden Kings, which featured a joint performance during halftime by Alvark cheerleaders and Special Olympics competition cheerleaders, a tradition of Special Olympics Day.

A total of 9,985 people attended the event, giving participants the chance to showcase the results of their hard practice on such a grand stage. 

During halftime, three athletes took the stage to represent the 56-member Japanese delegation for the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Torino, which will begin in March.
Yoshihara (Short Track Speed Skating, SON Tokyo), Seki (Figure Skating, SON Kanagawa), and Tanaka (Floorball partner athlete, SON Tokyo) shared their determination for the competition. They declared, "We aim to win medals. Please keep cheering for us with passion until the very end!" The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.

Special Olympics Dream Supporters Satoru Terao and Takahiko Kozuka encouraged fans to follow the event. They said, "SON's official Instagram will post updates from the World Games, so be sure to check it out and support the team from Japan!"

Many visitors stopped by the Special Olympics booth set up in the gymnasium concourse and wrote messages of support for the athletes competing in the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Torino.
After the game, Alvark Tokyo’s General Manager, Taishi Ito, handed the support banner, filled with encouraging messages, to the athletes.

Before the venue opened, a unified exhibition game took place between SON Tokyo athletes and Alvark Tokyo Youth (U18).
Playing in a professional arena with official referees and an energetic live commentary made the game an exciting experience for the SON Tokyo athletes. At the same time, it provided a valuable opportunity for the Alvark Tokyo Youth players.

In 2024, Alvark Tokyo and Special Olympics Tokyo signed a comprehensive partnership agreement. They aim to promote social inclusion by strengthening regional collaboration through exchange events between SON Tokyo athletes and Alvark Tokyo players and coaches.