ASICS ENTERS INTO GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH RENSHI CHOKAI THE WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL PLAYER

[October 10th, 2023 - KOBE, JAPAN] ASICS today announces that it has signed a Global Partnership Agreement with the wheelchair basketball player, Renshi Chokai. Chokai starts his career as a professional wheelchair basketball player in this contract. The contract, beginning on September 1st, 2023, marks the very first time that ASICS has signed a professional para-athlete.

ASICS raises its founding philosophy of “ANIMA SANA IN CORPORE SANO – A Sound Mind, in A Sound Body,” and its goal of “creating a world in which we can all live healthfully both physically and mentally, maintaining involvement with exercise and sports over our entire lifetime.” It established the Parasports Department in January 2022 to realize a healthy, sustainable, and inclusive society through Parasports. The Global Partnership Agreement with Chokai was realized as his passion for contributing to the diversity and inclusive society and his experience as a wheelchair basketball player coincided with ASICS’s corporate vision.

ASICS will support Chokai's various activities beyond just a parasport athlete, and it expects his creativity based on his activities to be utilized for its brand activations to achieve a healthy, sustainable and inclusive society.

Renshi Chokai said:

Renshi Chokai, Team ASICS – it feels good to say that. I’m incredibly happy to become a member of the ASICS family. Becoming a professional wheelchair basketball player puts me in a position to really focus on my sport. It also puts positive pressure on me and motivates me further. As I embark on this professional journey, I’m glad that I have ASICS by my side. As an ASICS athlete, I will embrace diverse perspectives and values and give back to the world of wheelchair basketball and society at large.

Yasuhito, Hirota, President, CEO and COO, Representative Director, ASICS Corporation said:

We are delighted to welcome Renshi Chokai to the ASICS family. I believe parasports embody the intrinsic values and potential of sports, which are fostering mutual understanding and the courage to take on challenges, and nurturing dreams and ambitions. Parasports have the power to inspire people. We will fully support Chokai’s aspirations and commitment as a professional para-athlete. At the same time, we are excited to learn from his unique perspectives and insights, and look forward to supporting his wide-ranging activities, which transcend sports. As we deepen our partnership with Chokai, we will reaffirm our identity as a team that respects and enhances diversity, create further innovation, and strive to realize better lifestyles for all.

Profile of Renshi Chokai

Date of birth: February 2, 1999

Place of birth: Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

Key Achievements:

　　2016: 9th place at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (Brazil)

　　2017: 4th place and All-Star 5 Award at the IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship (Canada)

　　2017: 3rd place at the IWBF Asia Oceania Championships (China)

　　2018: 9th place at the IWBF Men’s World Championships (Germany)

　　2018: Silver at the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games (Indonesia)

　　2021: Silver and MVP Award at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (Japan)

　　2022: Champion and All-Star 5 Award at the IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship (Thailand)

Born with disabilities in both hands and feet, Chokai had his lower limbs amputated at the age of three. He started wheelchair basketball in 7th grade, quickly established himself as one of the top players in the Kyushu region, and was selected for the Japan National Team in 10th grade. Chokai played for the Japan National Team at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games while still in high school, making him the youngest ever player to be selected for the team. Currently, he is a member of Kanagawa Vanguards. At the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games, he led the team to its first ever runner-up finish and a silver medal, and was voted the Men’s MVP by fans. Chokai is also accomplished in a variety of other areas, including winning the “Best Dresser Awards” in the sports category.

-ENDS-