Allianz Athlete of the Month: Japan goalball team

The Japanese women’s goalball team has been voted the Allianz Athlete of the Month for October after claiming their first Asian Para Games title. They beat Paralympic silver medallists China 5-3 in the final.

The team received 39 per cent of the public votes. South Korean table tennis player Kim Hyeon Uk was second with 35 per cent. Mongolian powerlifter Sodnompiljee Enkhbayar (13 per cent) was third.

Uzbekistan’s swimmer Amilova Fotimakhon and US track athlete Daniel Romanchuk were also nominated.

The 2018 winners are:

January – Oksana Masters, USA, Nordic skiing

February – Mac Marcoux, CAN, alpine skiing

March (Best Male) – Brian McKeever, CAN, Nordic skiing

March (Best Female) – Ekaterina Rumyantseva, NPA, Nordic skiing

March (Best Team) – Chinese wheelchair curling team

April – Gemma Collis-McCann, GBR, wheelchair fencing

May – Sareh Javanmardi, IRI, shooting

June – Sevda Altunoluk, TUR, goalball

July – Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, IRI, sitting volleyball

August – Greg Polychronidis, GRE, boccia

September – Corne de Koning, NED, rowing

October – Japan women’s goalball team