Para Athletics World Championships Medalists Tomoya Ito and Hirokazu Ueyonabaru Pay Courtesy Visit to NTN

NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) has been providing technical support since 2021 to athletes of wheelchair athletics of Mr. Tomoya Ito (belonging to Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd) and Mr. Hirokazu Ueyonabaru (belonging to SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.), including specialized bearings for racing wheelchairs and tuning services*1. At this time, both athletes won medals at the “New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships” held in New Delhi, India, from September 27 to October 5 this year. On October 13, they paid a courtesy visit to NTN's Kuwana Engineering Center (Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture).

NTN provides specially designed bearings for the wheels of racing wheelchairs used by both athletes, achieving both reduced rotational torque and enhanced durability. The bearings we provide use lightweight ceramic balls as rolling elements. In addition, the lubricant and internal clearance of the bearings are carefully adjusted to create optimal specifications tailored to each athlete's riding posture, race strategy, and personal feel. During their visit, our employees-including those responsible for developing the bearings provided to both athletes and for integrating and tuning the bearings for their racing wheelchairs-welcomed the athletes and celebrated their outstanding performance in international competitions, as well as their medal achievements. We will continue to support both athletes by leveraging the extensive expertise in bearings that our company has cultivated over more than a century.