Mori has severe sensorineural hearing loss. When he removes his hearing aids, sounds become much quieter, and it can also be difficult for him to perceive the contours of those sounds. In deaf karate, as practiced by athletes with hearing impairments like Mori, the basic rules are essentially the same as in standard karate, but communication is conducted using sign language rather than the spoken voice, and match signals are given using lights. The names of kata are also expressed in sign language, and referees’ instructions are conveyed using light, which is another feature that distinguishes the sport from the standard version.

Inspired by Dragon Ball and wanting “to become stronger,” Mori began attending a karate dojo in the third grade of elementary school. He first learned about deaf karate and the Deaflympics when he was in the second year of junior high school. “I learned about the tournament from a teacher at my junior high school who had participated in the Deaflympics. When I realized that I could do karate at the Deaflympics as well, it became a strong source of motivation,” Mori recalls. He continued training at the dojo until graduating from junior high school, and after advancing to high school, he joined the school’s karate club. Focusing mainly on his club activities, Mori continued competing, and in his third year of high school he achieved his first appearance at the previous tournament, the Caxias Do Sul 2021 Deaflympics, in the men’s individual kata event.

However, the path to that point was by no means an easy one, and Mori only reached it after experiencing difficulties and demonstrating ingenuity unique to someone with a hearing impairment. “When I first started, I couldn’t fully hear the sensei’s directions, so I practiced by watching the movements of the other dojo students and asking them to confirm what the sensei had said,” recounts Mori. “It was difficult at first, but as I got used to it, I began to anticipate the next movement. To improve further, I carefully observed the more skilled athletes around me, watching not only the form of their techniques, but also elements such as how they applied force, their breathing, and their center of gravity. Rather than understanding the sensei’s instructions directly, I think I was able to gain a more efficient and deeper understanding by learning how skilled athletes interpreted those instructions.” It seems that this method of learning by closely observing skilled athletes and placing emphasis on visual information was highly compatible with deaf karate.

Mori took home the bronze medal at the previous Deaflympics. Not content to rest on his laurels, however, he joined Karate Club (Shinsei) after entering Ritsumeikan University in order to become even stronger. It seemed like smooth sailing, but then an unexpected accident occurred. While he was in high school, Mori injured his lower back in a competition, and by the second year of university, this had developed into a stress fracture. As a result, he had to stop practicing for six months. Mori recalls this period as follows: “I was anxious about taking six months off, but as I prepared to return, I focused on strengthening my abdominal muscles and core, increasing my intra-abdominal pressure so that I would not rely on my back for posture. I also incorporated diaphragmatic breathing techniques. This not only reduced the strain on my lower back, it also helped me practice karate in a more relaxed way, and this allowed me to rethink my posture.”

After recovering, Mori then encountered another opportunity that led to significant growth. “A coach from the Karate Club pointed out my mental weakness, namely, how I dwell on mistakes during demonstrations and kumite sparring. Around the time my back had healed and I was preparing to return to competition, I studied for a year together with the coach in a mental training seminar designed for instructors. That experience allowed me to deepen my understanding of goal-setting and self-awareness. Mental strength is essential for performing well in competition, so the support I received in that area was extremely important for my development,” Mori says.

Through these experiences, Mori refined not only his technical skills but also his inner strength. At the most recent Deaflympics, he also competed in kumite, and as a result, he achieved even greater success, winning a gold medal in the men’s individual kata and a bronze medal in the men’s individual kumite (under 60kg division). So, what was different compared with the previous tournament? “The university’s Karate Club, which has a long history, had switched styles from Shitō-ryū, which I had studied at my previous dojo, to Gōjū-ryū, and the instruction placed a very strong emphasis on fundamentals. By learning a different style, I was able to reconsider the basics from the ground up and reconstruct my karate from two perspectives. Returning to the fundamentals broadened my outlook. Also, because the quality of my basic techniques improved, those elements were reflected throughout my performances, which I feel improved my overall evaluation.” Mori explained, noting that his greatest accomplishment in university was being able to practice the fundamentals of karate more carefully.

Now that the Tokyo Deaflympics are over, Mori's next goal is undecided, but he says he would like to continue competing depending on what kind of systems are in place at his place of employment. “Thanks to the latest tournament, I feel that awareness of the Deaflympics and deaf athletes has spread, and for the sake of future generations, I believe the next challenge will be improving incentives and creating better environments for athletes. By the time of the next Deaflympics, I hope to solidify my resolve and work not only on competing, but also on communicating these issues to society.”

Finally, we asked Mori what he keeps in mind as he continues to pursue his own path in karate. “Karate cannot exist by the efforts of a single person. I believe it is important to show gratitude to your teachers, teammates, opponents, those who support you, and the environment that allows you to train. Instead of being self-complacent, I want to work hard with a sense of gratitude to repay everyone who supports me.” In closing, we would like to offer our heartfelt praise to Mori, who has persevered with his steadfast integrity to reach this point.