Japanese para athletics icon Atsushi Yamamoto said Monday he wants to develop world-class athletes after calling time on his 22-year competitive career.

Para athlete Atsushi Yamamoto poses for a photo after his retirement press conference in Kobe, western Japan, on May 27, 2024. (Kyodo)

Yamamoto, who has a prosthetic leg, earned a pair of silver medals in the long jump while making four Summer Paralympic appearances between 2008 and 2021. He also became a Winter Olympian in 2018 when he snowboarded in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

"I've wanted to show people how much I can do with this leg," the 42-year-old said during his retirement press conference in Kobe while sharing plans to coach young athletes.

"I want to develop athletes who can compete on the world stage."

File photo shows Atsushi Yamamoto of Japan competing in the men's long jump at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics on Sept. 17, 2016. (Kyodo)

Yamamoto lost his left leg in a traffic accident when he was in high school. He decided to call it a career after finishing fifth in the long jump at the World Para Athletics Championships that ended last weekend.

"Athletics has been my hobby to make my life enjoyable. I had a very good athletics career, supported by various people," Yamamoto said.

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