Competitive Swimming
Previously, the start command in Japan for races like athletic events and swimming was 「位置について」 and 「用意」 in Japanese. However, with the shift in 2005, especially for international events like the Olympics, these commands were standardized in English. The Japan Association of Athletics Federations decided to align with this change, updating the commands to “On your marks” and “Set” for national championships starting in 2010. In swimming, the command 「用意」 was changed to “Take your marks” in 2017. According to the Japan Swimming Federation, this change was made in response to feedback from athletes participating in international competitions, who found it challenging to time the 「用意」 cue.
Judo
Conversely, some sports have adopted Japanese commands internationally. In judo, the command 「はじめ」 is used to start or resume matches. This was established as the standard thanks to Ichiro Abe, who taught judo in Europe for about 20 years starting in 1951. At a tournament in Belgium in 1954, linguistic disputes led Abe to suggest using Japanese commands to avoid disagreements, and this was well-received.
Para Sports
In para sports, cues are adapted to the needs of the athletes. For the upcoming Deaflympics in Tokyo this November, visual signals like lamps or flags will be used for athletes with hearing impairments. In track and field events, a “start lamp” system using red, yellow 「用意」, and green lights is implemented to indicate the starting sequence. According to the Japan Deaf Track & Field Association, in events without lamps, athletes may start by watching the starter’s hand or the movements of neighboring competitors. Shogo Sakata, a 25-year-old athlete who has been selected to represent Japan in the 100 meters at the Tokyo Deaflympics, stated that using the start lamp allows for a fair competition regardless of differences in hearing ability.
by MagazineKey4532