On January 30,2020, Mr. TERAOKA Takuro (a sophomore of the Faculty of Economics) from the University‘s Weight-Lifting Club was awarded with the Okayama University Student Sports Award (International Sports Division). At the prize giving, the Executive Director for Education SANO Hiroshi presented Mr. Teraoka with an official certificate of commendation and a bursary.

The Okayama University Student Sports Award is designed to recognize students who have achieved excellent results in their respective extracurricular sports activities. The International Sports Award is awarded to students who have participated in international competitions as representatives of Japan.

Mr. Teraoka competed as a member of the Japan National Team at the "2019 Asian Classic Powerlifting Championship" held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on December 2-8, 2019, where he managed to come second overall in his class (53 kg junior class), despite competing in an international tournament for the first time.

After being awarded with the certificate of commendation, Mr. Teraoka presented the medal he received at the tournament to Executive Director Sano, and discussed his time in Kazakhstan, including the days leading up to the tournament. He emphasized that powerlifting requires physical as well as mental strength and attributed his achievement to his consistent daily training. Executive Director Sano congratulated him and stated, "I hope that he will continue grow as a sportsman and successfully balance his time between his extracurricular activities and his studies."