Sani Brown and Toray have worked together on a variety of initiatives during the one and a half years of their global partnership. One of these is the DAWN GAMES, a tournament for the development of the next generation of track athletes, led by Sani Brown and jointly planned and supported by Toray. This sprint competition for elementary, junior high, and high school students, is an expanded version of the “Sani Brown Speed Trial” held in 2023. The scale of the event has been broadened to give more children the opportunity to challenge themselves, with special skill clinics and collaborative programs with Toray held alongside the races, making it a day to fully support the next generation of top athletes.
“Shaping the Future of Sports through Co-Creation”
Toray and Sani Brown work together to nurture the next generation of athletes
Top athletes and children working up a sweat together
The “DAWN GAMES FINAL Powered by TORAY” was held at AGF Field in Chofu, Tokyo, on October 13, 2024. About 70 children, ranging from elementary school kids to high school students, gathered at the venue. The students regularly participate in athletics through club activities and teams, so top athletes are the people they admire and hope to emulate. When Sani Brown was introduced and stepped onto the field, the eyes of these athletic hopefuls lit up even more.
The first event was a special clinic on physical training to be able to run faster. Under the guidance of a trainer, the students worked on exercises with Sani Brown, together with long jumper Yuki Hashioka, who had competed at the Paris Olympics. The difficulty of the training exercises gradually increased, but the children refused to give up. The core training was conducted in pairs, and the children pushed themselves further as they faced the two athletes.
After fully loosening up, it was time for the main event—the races. The 45 winners of the qualifying rounds held in eastern and western Japan in June 2024 stood by on the track with nervous expressions.
“When I see you competing in front of me, I feel energized,” Sani Brown told them. Encouraged by his words, the athletes of all ages ran as hard as they could in the 100 meter race. Watching from the announcer’s booth, Sani Brown cheered them on with a smile, offering comments such as “That was a very good start!” and “You ran well in the tailwind, and it made me want to run too.”
Far-reaching support for everyone who wants to enjoy track and field
Toray also planned a program that day to support the next generation of athletes. The first event was a para race. Eight runners with prosthetic legs participated, running the track amid loud cheers.
Haruta Saito, a runner with a prosthetic leg who participated in the Sani Brown Speed Trial last year, also took part in this year’s para race. A second year high school student, he attends a school with a strong track and field team, which also happens to be Sani Brown’s alma mater. Haruta is a regular member of the track and field club, and practices alongside his able-bodied upperclassmen and friends.
“I have gotten bigger since last year, and shortened my time by almost one second,” says Haruta. “My friends in the track and field club are all faster than me, and I feel like I’m chasing their speed, which has allowed me to grow.” His goal is to run with a dynamic style, like Sani Brown. “I want to improve my sprinting ability and participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics,” he says.
Xiborg Inc., a company that works with Toray to joint develop prosthetic legs for para-athletes, also participated that day. Prosthetic legs for sports made from Toray’s carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) were on display at the venue. Xiborg CEO Ken Endo says that the company wants to eliminate the barrier between able-bodied and para-athletes by promoting more inexpensive and high-performance sports prostheses. “Currently, para games and tournaments for able-bodied athletes are separate, but the focus of para-athletes is on athletics, not just para-athletics, so in that sense I hope that everyone interested in track and field will come out to watch, not just those interested in para-athletics. Our aim is for a universal environment in which the para and regular athletic worlds are fused.”
At the exhibition booth for sports prosthetic legs
From left: Yuki Hashioka, Ken Endo (Xiborg), Sani Brown
Xiborg also set up a booth to experience what it is like to use prosthetic devices, and some track and field fans came to give it a try. Along with prosthetic legs for top athletes, Xiborg also develops general prosthesis that allow users to run more easily. Their objective is to allow more people to enjoy track and field. Toray and Xiborg will continue to co-create with the aim of broadening the scope of track and field, and breaking down the barriers separating para athletics.
High-performance clothing developed in collaboration with Sani Brown was also on display.
Track and field is a sport where matches are decided by 0.01 seconds, so the selection of clothing and shoes has a significant impact on results. Sani Brown and Toray’s material development team gave a presentation featuring quizzes and the athletes’ experiences to explain the importance of clothing materials in athletics, and the functionality of the jointly developed wear.
Sani Brown, who loves sportswear made from Toray’s quick-drying fabric, told the children, “Sweat dissipates quickly so the T-shirts don’t get heavy, eliminating stress when running. I think everyone who aspires to be a top athlete should know about clothing.”
Sani Brown’s vision of the future of the partnership
Sani Brown signed a global partnership agreement with Toray in 2023. Over the last year and a half, he has been involved in a variety of initiatives, including participating in the “Aozora Science Class,” an educational project planned by Toray to convey the joy of science to the next generation of children, and joint development of clothing. Sani Brown spoke about his thoughts on his partnership with Toray.
“I have been able to have experiences that I couldn’t have by just competing, such as interacting with children and visiting material development sites. With Toray, I can make a bigger contribution to society through sports. I hope we can continue to co-create, and make good things together.”
This year’s DAWN GAMES is also part Sani Brown’s idea of “co-creation”
“This year, along with races, the program includes skill clinics and an introduction to the clothing developed with Toray. Nurturing the next generation is one of our objectives, but beyond that, we also want to further foster a love running. To that end, I would like to open the tournament more broadly to anyone who thinks that they are the kind of person who should participate, not just the kids in the track and field club. In addition to practicing hard, I want the children to see and feel various things with their own eyes on a regular basis, and test their potential. The chance to touch and feel Toray’s materials, like we had today, is also an important experience. I believe that creating such opportunities is part of the role of athletes like me.”
Sani Brown says that his exposure to an American university education sparked a desire to see the larger world. He is also thinking about broadening the scope of future co-creation with Toray.
“Universities in the U.S. have curriculums that encourage students to grow as individuals, not just study their majors. Japanese athletes should also learn more, and acquire knowledge and skills outside of competition. I hope that I will be able to create such opportunities together with Toray.”
Through this event, Sani Brown showed us various shapes of the future. As an athlete, what does he envision for the future? Now that the Paris Olympics are over, the focus has shifted to the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which will be held in Tokyo for the first time in 34 years.
“It’s not often that people get the chance to see me running in my home country. The Tokyo Olympics were held without spectators, so I want to give a good performance for the fans who always support me. I would be happy if watching me run lifts and motivates people.”
