At the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics on the 10th, Hiroaki Mori ranked 23rd in the men's seated distance sprint while fellow Japanese athletes Daiki Kawasoe and Yoshihiro Nitta advanced to the semifinals in the men's sprint class for standing athletes. The women's category saw Yuri Abe qualify for the semifinals, finishing in 7th place, whereas other competitors faced early exits. Mori's performance reflects the growing intensity in seated events, as they now attract more participants compared to other categories, exemplifying a burgeoning competitive landscape.

Mori, a former high school baseball player, faced life-altering challenges after an accident resulted in the amputation of his legs below the knees. He began competing in this discipline while in university, leveraging the accessible entry costs associated with sit-skiing, which he cites as being around 70,000 yen, an amount manageable through part-time earnings. The comparative ease of entry into this sport has encouraged athletes from various countries to participate, contributing to its rising popularity on the international stage, with strong competitors emerging from warmer countries like Brazil.

Training conditions in seated skiing allow for flexibility, with athletes capable of obtaining high-impact training even in non-snow regions. Mori has dedicated himself to improving his strength and technique, demonstrating determination to match the power of international competitors. Having ranked 31st during his debut at the Beijing Paralympics, Mori recognized the need for a solid foundation to compete at higher levels and has since worked diligently to enhance his skills, incorporating lessons from international competitors into his training regimen.