Hires deaf athlete (deaf track & field, high jump) Kazuhiro Takai (from Track & Field Club of Nippon Sport Science University) as athlete employee

News Release

 

 

April 1, 2020

Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc.

 

 

 

Hires deaf athlete (deaf track & field, high jump) Kazuhiro Takai (from Track & Field Club of Nippon Sport Science University) as athlete employee

 

Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc. (Headquarters in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President Calin Dragan; hereafter “CCBJI”) on April 1 hired Kazuhiro Takai, who is active in deaf track and field/high jump, as an athlete employee.

 

Takai is a promising athlete who won the championship in the 15th Japan Deaf Athletics Championships which was held in 2018, and came 9th in the 1st World Deaf Indoor Athletics Championships subsequently held in 2019. He aims to play in the Deaflympics which will be held in Brasilia, Brazil in 2021. We hope our employees are inspired and further solidify a sense of unity by seeing their colleague Takagi doing the very best and taking on a challenge in the championships.

 

This is the first employment based on the "Comprehensive Agreement on Support for the Disabled" concluded in November last year between Nippon Sport Science University and CCBJI. 

 

Positioning promotion of diversity & inclusion an important management strategy, CCBJI will continue to respect diversity of each and every employee to provide opportunities for all to perform the best of their ability, regardless of their gender, age, nationality, physical capacity, sexual orientation or any work-related constraints they may have due to personal reasons. CCBJI will also continue to contribute to further promotion of sports by creating an environment in which athlete employees can be devoted to the games with peace of mind.

 

[Profile of Kazuhiro Takai]

 

■Employed by: Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Benefit Inc.

（Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc. Group)

■Type of sports: Deaf track and field; High Jump (impaired hearing)

■ Hometown: Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture

■ Education: Shiga Rouwa Gakko → Nippon Sports Science University

■ Date of Birth: June 7, 1997 (22 years old)

■ Major achievements:

2015; Winner of the 52nd National Deaf School Athletics Championships (190cm) ※ 3 consecutive titles

2016; 6th place in the 3rd World Deaf Athletics Championships (185cm)

2018; Winner of the 15th Japan Deaf Athletics Championships (180cm)

2019; 9th place in the 1st World Deaf Indoor Athletics Championships (180cm)

 

[Takai's comments]

I have learned many things since I started playing track and field in the first year of high school. Thanks to the daily hard trainings which I endured under the tough environment during my 4 years in the university, my perseverance and communication skill were improved, and the fact that I was able to continue playing field and track earned me confidence and became a major asset for me.

I will not forget the feelings of "appreciation for everything and everyone including those who have supported me," and will work so that I will be able to steadily improve my record in Asian and World Championships, aiming to play in the Deaflympics in 2021.

And as an employee of CCBJI, which I joined, I will act with self-awareness and responsibility, to make efforts to become an athlete who is supported by everyone.

 

Photo: Japan Deaf Athletics Association

 

 

Please see here for the PDF version.