was a Japanese swimmer, described as "one of the world’s best Paralympic athletes" by the International Paralympic Committee."Paralympic Sport Awards Winners - 2005" , International Paralympic Committee Japan Today has described her as a "swimming sensation perhaps as great as the Thorpedo but whose name few know"."Paralympics champ competes against prejudice", Japan Today, August 7, 2001 She won 15 gold medals at the Paralympics, and 20 total.
Biography Narita was born on August 27, 1970. She used a wheelchair because of myelitis since the age of 13; in 1994, additionally, she was involved in a traffic accident which left her quadriplegic."Paralympic Sport Awards Winners - 2005" , International Paralympic Committee In 1996, she represented Japan at the Paralympic Games in Atlanta, where she won two gold medals, two silver and one bronze. At the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, she won six gold medals."Paralympic Sport Awards Winners - 2005" , International Paralympic Committee She also set five world records at the Sydney Games."Paralympics champ competes against prejudice", Japan Today, August 7, 2001
Narita competed again at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, and was the Games' most successful athlete, of any nationality and in any sport. She set six world records, seven Paralympic records, and won seven gold medals and one bronze medal."Paralympic Sport Awards Winners - 2005" , International Paralympic Committee"Paralympics Athens 2004 - facts and figures", People's Daily, September 29, 2004
In 2005, she was given the Best Female Athlete award by the International Paralympic Committee, the Best Male Athlete award going to Brazil's Clodoaldo Silva."Paralympic Sport Awards Winners - 2005" , International Paralympic Committee
Narita served as vice chair of the Tokyo 2016 Athletes' Commission."Olympic Stars Enhance TOKYO 2016 Games Plan" , press release, July 11, 2008
Narita died from bile duct cancer on September 5, 2025, at the age of 55.成田真由美さん死去
See also Athletes with most gold medals in one event at the Paralympic Games
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