Japan Makes Wheelchair Rugby Semis
In the Tokyo Paralympics, Japan's wheelchair rugby team has defeated two-time defending champion Australia in the pool phase. The host nation advanced to the semifinals with three straight wins.
Japan's ace player Ikezaki Daisuke scored 24 tries, leading his country to a 57 to 53 victory.
Teammate Kurahashi Kae has been a key defender in the past three matches. The 30-year-old is the first female on the squad, and a former trampoline athlete.
She injured her spinal cord in a training accident when she was a university student.
Japan was the first Asian nation to win a medal in wheelchair rugby at a Paralympics, taking bronze in Rio in 2016.
The team went on to win its first world championship in 2018. They could meet Australia again in the final on Sunday.
Japanese competitors also excelled in athletics events.
One of them, Sato Tomoki, chased down the gold in the men's 400-meter wheelchair race. He overtook Rio gold medalist Raymond Martin in the home stretch. Sato came second to the American in Rio.
Meanwhile, British cyclist Kadeena Cox won her first gold medal at these Games in the women's 500-meter time trial. In 2016, she became the first British Paralympian in 32 years to win gold medals in two different sports at the same Games.
The 30-year-old was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2015. She will shoot for another gold in an athletics event next week.
The silver went to Canadian Kate O'Brien. The 33-year-old competed as a cyclist at the Rio Olympics. The following year, she was gravely injured in a cycling accident but bounced back to become a Paralympian.
Also competing were the refugee team's opening ceremony flag bearers. One is a swimmer originally from Afghanistan.
Born without arms, Kabul native Abbas Karimi took up swimming at the age of 13. Three years later, he fled to Turkey due to unrest in the capital. He's now based in the United States.
The 24-year-old made it to the final of the men's 50-meter butterfly on Friday, and finished in eighth place.
He said the people of Afghanistan are in his thoughts and prayers.
The team's other flag bearer and its first female athlete took part in an athletics event, the club throw.
Alia Issa was born in Greece to Syrian refugees. She developed physical and intellectual impairments after contracting smallpox.
Before the Games, the 20-year-old said she hoped to be a role model.
She finished eighth with a throw of 16.33 meters.