Why Toyota’s Support of Unified Sports is so Important
For Takeshi Hashimoto, snowboarding competitively has been a lifelong dream. In January, Takeshi, a long-time Toyota employee, had the opportunity to join snowboarding elite from across the globe in Aspen, CO, USA, for X Games 2017, an event hosted annually by ESPN which brings together the sport’s finest to compete in a variety of events. Takeshi had been selected as 1 of 10 Special Olympics athletes chosen to participate in the 3rd Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding Dual Slalom.
Through Unified Sports, Takeshi’s dreams came true.
This is what Unified Sports does. They give Special Olympics athletes the opportunity to reach higher, achieve more, and inspire others during the process.
Earlier this week, Special Olympics announced a new partnership agreement with Toyota Global rooted in supporting Unified Sports in Japan and North America. In the US, Toyota’s affiliates have supported various activities, including the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. Toyota has also been a sponsor of Special Olympics Southern California for nearly 30 years and a national partner Special Olympics Nippon (Japan) since 2016, engaging with our athletes regularly.
The inspiration for this week’s larger partnership agreement is based in the company’s belief that through sport and play, we can build quick paths to understanding and friendship. Through Unified Sports, we have seen not only changes in our athletes, but shifts in the ways the community sees them. I am thankful for Toyota recognizing the need for more unified programing around the world.
