Germany’s Edina Mueller described as ‘heartbreaking’ the sight of all the incredible facilities put together by the Japanese Paralympic organisers that have gone unused because of the Covid pandemic.

Mueller, a four-time Paralympian, was cheered on by partner Nikolaus Classen and their two-year-old son, Liam, as she caused a major upset by defeating world champion Maryna Mazhula in their heat of the women’s KL1 on Thursday.

For Mueller, getting to Tokyo was not the biggest challenge. Getting her son to the Games was a major battle because of Covid restrictions preventing family from attending. But like here determination in the sporting arena, she refused to give in.

“It was a very long fight to bring him here,” Mueller said.

“I joined some mother organisations and connected with other Olympic athletes who are nursing, and together we put together a petition and in the end it worked out.

“We are here together, and that’s the most important thing.”

But Liam can not join his mother in the Olympic village, so the family have had to stay at a hotel. Mueller has visited the athlete village though, and has been super impressed by all the childcare facilities that have been put in place.

“I see all the venues and everything that was planned, and I feel a little heartbroken for the Japanese when I see what they did here,” Mueller said.

“It’s very inspiring to see what they had. For mothers in sport, I see what they planned for this – the dining hall has a nursing room, there are nursing rooms at the village plaza, here at the venue you have accessible changing tables and a big toilet in the women’s and the men’s room.

“It’s very sad that the IPC could not give accreditation for my son, so we don’t even have access to that. I’m still nursing so he is here with me, but we don’t have access to all those facilities.”

“When I see what the Japanese people have done here, I’m really heartbroken for them, that they can’t do the Paralympics and Olympics as planned.

“It’s still amazing what they built here, and what they are doing. We feel very welcome and all the people are so nice, it’s a great Paralympics.”

38-year-old Mueller, who won gold as a member of the German wheelchair basketball team in London in 2012 and silver in Beijing in 2008, is looking to repeat the performance in paracanoe after winning silver in Rio in 2016.

She shocked even herself by winning Thursday’s heat against the two-time Ukranian world champion.

“I actually planned to be going to the semi-final because I knew I would have a battle with the Ukranian athlete, so I’m even more happy now that I can concentrate 100 per cent on the final,” Mueller said.

“I saw I was ahead at about 150 metres, and I thought I just need to push through. She’s an amazing athlete, but I knew I’ve been fast this year as well. But I didn’t think I would be first in this race.”