Ito: I'm not sure I will play for another 4 years

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Posting the translations for 2 recent entries by kittyyoyaji here for future reference.

早田ひな 52 欠場 (Hayata Hina 52 Absence)
http://kittyoyaji.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-2912.html
1
自分の認識だと
世界選手権は アジア選手権に出場しなくとも
世界ランク上位選手はシード枠で出場できるはずだが
アジア選手権出場必須がTLに出回っているのは
ITTFの出場資格の改訂があったのか
JTTAが国内基準で絶対条件にしているのか
自分はよくわからない
2
アジア選手権出場が絶対条件ならば
早田はシングルスのみでもとにかく出場する
一回戦負けでも構わないから出場条件をクリアして
あとは世界ランクで拾われるシードに懸ける
来年の世界選手権は故障明けと割り切れば
今年下半期と来年の世界ランクは一時的に下降してもそう問題ではない
3
2025年世界選手権後のWTTほかの国際大会を
通常通りに出場して世界ひと桁レベルの成績をつづけられるかが重要
低迷すると2026年以降のシードが低くなり
2027年の世界選手権個人戦 2028年ロス五輪に不利に働くだろう
4
痛みがなくなり炎症が完治しても
即ラケットを100%の全力で振れるわけはなく
筋力を含めて肉体を練習に耐えるレベルに戻す期間が必要
さらに 留意すべき重要課題は
通常の選手活動に戻れば過密日程がつづくなかでの練習・調整で
再発することなく体調維持ができるか
5
動けるかぎり練習するというのは故障するかしないかの二者択一で
故障の前にセーブするという選択肢がない特攻卓球
五輪まで持ちこたえられれば
あとはからだがどうなってもという意気込みで
早田が猛練習したのは容易に想像できるが
6
精神的にはもちこたえられても
肉体が悲鳴を上げて最も肝心なところで崩れてしまった
2022年の世界選手権団体の決勝戦欠場につづき
パリ五輪も棄権ギリギリのところで本来の実力を発揮できなかった
7
選手の早田がみずからブレーキを踏めないなら
コーチやトレーナーが早田を説得してセーブさせる役割を担うべきだが
チームひなは誰もがガチガチのスポ根信者で
同じ失敗を延々繰り返している
8
故障回避のためには 何度も指摘してきたように
練習内容や海外遠征中の調整方法等を抜本的に再構築することが
端的には早田が納得して練習量を減らすことが
避けて通れない最重要課題だが
早田ひなはじめ
チームひなの面々がその必要性を認識しているのかどうか
9
銅・銀メダルの獲得で過去のすべてを正当化して
従来の練習・調整方法に戻るだけではないか

5度あった故障は6度目もあると考えるのが合理的で
練習ほかを根本的に改めないかぎり
中国選手を倒しての金メダルが目標のロス五輪も
不本意な結果で終わるだろう
1
In my opinion,
even if she doesn't participate in the ATTC,
top ranked players in the world should be able to participate in the WTTC as seeded players
The reason behind the necessity of participating in the ATTC
is because of a revision of the ITTF qualifications, or because the JTTA has made it an absolute requirement for domestic standards? [TL's note: it's the latter]
I don't really know
2
If participating in the ATTC is an absolute requirement,
Hayata should participate even if she plays singles only
She doesn't care if she loses in the first round, as long as she clears the qualifications, and then she can rely on seeding that is picked up by her world ranking
If she accepts that next year's WTTC will be after she's recovered from her injury,
it won't be a big problem if her world ranking temporarily drops in the second half of this year and next year
3
It's important whether she can continue to get single-digit round results in the world by participating in the WTT and other international competitions as usual for the WTTC 2025
If she slumps, her seeding will be lower from 2026 onwards, which will be detrimental to her performance in the WTTC 2027 and LA 2028
4
Even if the pain goes away and the inflammation is cured, she will not be able to swing the racket at 100% of her strength right away,
and she will need time to restore her body, including her muscle strength to a level that can withstand practice
Another important issue to keep in mind is
whether she will be able to maintain her physical condition without recurrence through practice and adjustments during the busy schedule once she returns to normal player activities

5
Practicing as long as she can move, is a two-option multiple choice between injury-prone or injury-free
That is special attack table tennis with no save-option before an injury
If she can hold out until the Olympics,
no matter what happens to her body,
it is very easy to imagine Hayata will train crazy hard
6
Even if she was able to hold on mentally,
her body screamed and she collapsed at the most crucial moment
Following her absence from the WTTC 2022 final, she was also on the brink of withdrawing from the Paris Olympics and was unable to show her true potential

7
If Hayata as an athlete can't put the brakes on herself,
then it should be the job of the coaches and trainers to persuade her,
but everyone on Team Hina is a die-hard spokon [sports grit] fanatics
repeating the same mistakes over and over again

8
As I have pointed out many times, to avoid injuries,
the most important thing is to fundamentally restructure the training regimen and the adjustment methods during overseas expeditions

In short, the most important thing is for Hayata to agree to reduce the amount of training,
but I wonder whether Hayata Hina,
and the other members of Team Hina are aware of the need for this
9
By getting the bronze and silver medals and justifying everything that has happened in the past,
isn't that merely returning to their old training and adjustment methods?

The assumption that a 6th injury is only natural after the 5th
as long as they do not fundamentally change the things outside of training
the goal of beating the Chinese players to win the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics will end with an unsatisfactory result


早田ひな 50 5回目の故障 (Hayata Hina 50 Injured for the 5th time)
http://kittyoyaji.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-2912.html
1
パリ五輪が閉会した
平野美宇/張本美和が機能しないこともあって
早田のダブルス起用は負傷前からの既定路線であったとしても
早田よりも平野を先に2試合出場させて
早田の負担を軽くしたのは事実
2
つまり パリ五輪団体の実質的エースは
準決勝まで毎回2試合に出場した平野美宇であって
シングルス回避のオーダーを組まれた早田は
2022年の世界選手権団体につづいて
エースの責任を果たすことに失敗した
3
歴代エースの石川佳純や伊藤美誠は勝敗は別にして
オーダー回避の配慮はまったく不必要だったのだから
2度も最高峰の大会でエースの実力を発揮できなかったのは
早田の大きな失態だ
4
また内容面でも
実力上位の中国女子に対して体調面ですでに負けていては
ほぼ勝ちようがなかったことは早田自身も認めるはず
5
しかし WS銅メダル・WT銀メダル獲得の結果オーライで
すべてが正当化されてしまうだろう
その正当化はJTTAの強化方針と相まって
根性卓球 さらには特攻卓球が
日本卓球の根幹として脈々と生き続ける惧れすらある
早田も石田大輔コーチもチームひなもガチガチのスポ根信者で
馬の耳に念仏であるのはわかり切っているが
誰かが指摘しておくことが重要だ
6
世界TOPで戦う有力選手は多かれ少なかれ故障持ちで
我慢しながらの選手活動であろうことは自分も認識しているし
五輪の大舞台で選手生命を懸けることも選手の自己責任で
自分は肯定する
要するに 故障後の対処ではなく
重い故障を回避する意思の弱さが問題なのだ
7
また 選手個人は自己責任でよいとしても
周囲へ波及する悪影響もある
五輪メダリストの早田は注射を打った、選手生命を懸けたと
スポ根信者の指導者が故障した選手に根性卓球を強いる口実に
利用することは想像に難くない
8
また 早田自身が指導者になったときに
故障しかけの選手にどう対応するのか
選手生命を懸けてでも突き進む成功体験しかもたない早田が
死んでも頑張るという選手をセーブできるとは到底想像できない
石田大輔専属コーチ同様に一蓮托生で選手と突進するのではないか
9
早田は今回で重い故障を5回経験したと自分はカウントしているが
選手生命を断たれることはなく 五輪銅メダルまで登り詰めた
この幸運な成功体験は強烈で
指導者早田の思考回路に悪影響を及ぼすだろう
10
幾ら注意喚起したところで
早田ひな 石田コーチ チームひなのスタッフは
熱烈なスポ根信者であって聞く耳をもたないから
今後も同じ失敗を繰り返すのは確実
ただし 年齢的な衰えもあって
次の故障は致命傷になる惧れもこれまでよりも大きい
11
早田ひなはとても聡明な選手と自分は認識しているが
なぜ同じ失敗を繰り返すのか
なぜ事前にセーブする自己管理ができないのか
自身の体調管理こそがアスリートの基本なのに
本当に不思議であり残念に思う

追記
テレビ朝日番組内で
「決勝戦前に(また)注射を打った
(痛み止め注射で)治るわけではないので
(痛みが引くまでに)2~3週間かかる」
左腕を使わない前提ならばその後練習再開して
大会出場は最短で9月下旬のChina Smash
アジア選手権に間に合えば良しの時間感覚か
1
The Paris Olympics have ended
Hirano/Harimoto did not function properly
Even though the use of Hayata in doubles was a pre-determined course before her injury,
it is true that Hirano was allowed to play two matches instead of Hayata,
in order to reduce Hayata's burden
2
In other words, the de facto ace of the Paris Olympics team was
Hirano Miu
, who played two matches every time until the semi-finals
Hayata, who was placed in the order to avoid singles,
failed to fulfill her responsibilities as an ace,
following the WTTC 2022

3
The past aces Ishikawa Kasumi and Ito Mima, regardless of the outcome,
did not need to consider avoiding the order at all,
so it is Hayata's big screw-up
that she was unable to show her level as an ace twice in the highest tournament

4
In terms of content,
she was already losing in terms of physical condition to the top-ranked Chinese women,
so Hayata should admit that she almost stood no chance

5
However, getting a bronze medal in WS and a silver medal in WT,
everything will be justified
This justification, combined with the JTTA's development policy,
may even lead to the worry that die-hard table tennis and even special attack table tennis
will continue to live on as the foundation of Japanese table tennis

Hayata, coach Ishida Daisuke, and Team Hina are all die-hard spokon [see above] fanatics,
and I know that this is like preaching to a horse's ear, but it is important that someone points this out
6
I am aware that the top athletes who compete at the world's top level will suffer from injuries to a greater or lesser extent
and will have to endure their activities as athletes
I agree that risking their careers on the big stage of the Olympics is the athlete's own responsibility
In short, the problem is not how to deal with the injury,
but the lack of willpower to avoid serious injuries

7
Also, even if an individual athlete is responsible for their own actions,
it can have a negative impact on those around them

Olympic medalist Hayata got the injection, risking her career as an athlete
It is not hard to imagine that a die-hard sports coach would use this as an excuse
to force injured athletes to play table tennis with a strong will
8
Also, when Hayata becomes a coach,
how will she deal with an athlete who is on the verge of injury?
It is hard to imagine that Hayata, who has only had successful experiences of pushing forward even at the risk of her career,
can save an athlete who is determined to keep trying even if it means dying

I think she will charge forward with the athlete as if they are in the same boat, just like personal coach Ishida Daisuke
9
I count this as Hayata's 5th serious injury,
but it did not end her career as an athlete and she made it all the way to an Olympic bronze medal
This fortunate experience of success is so strong
that it will have a negative impact on Hayata's way of thinking as a coach

10
No matter how much we warn her,
Hayata Hina, coach Ishida, and the team Hina staff are die-hard spokon [see above] fanatics and won't listen,
so she will definitely make the same mistake again in the future
However, due to age-related decline, the next injury is more likely to be fatal than ever before

11
I recognize Hayata Hina as a very intelligent athlete,
but why does she make the same mistake again?
Why can't she manage herself to save herself in advance?
b]Managing her own physical condition is the basis of being an athlete, so I find it really strange and disappointing[/b]

Addendum
On a TV Asahi program,
"She got an injection (again) before the final
It won't heal (with a painkiller injection),
so it will take 2 to 3 weeks (for the pain to go away)"
Assuming she won't use her left arm, she can resume training after that
The earliest tournament she can return is China Smash in late September
Is it a sense of time that it's fine as long as she makes it in time for the ATTC?
 
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1
The Paris Olympics have ended
Hirano/Harimoto did not function properly
Even though the use of Hayata in doubles was a pre-determined course before her injury,
it is true that Hirano was allowed to play two matches instead of Hayata,
in order to reduce Hayata's burden
2
In other words, the de facto ace of the Paris Olympics team was
Hirano Miu
, who played two matches every time until the semi-finals
Hayata, who was placed in the order to avoid singles,
failed to fulfill her responsibilities as an ace,
Following the WTTC 2022

...
This is just laughable. I mean I'm a fan of Miu Hirano as well, but absolute ace? Come on. Absolute ace who lost to Shin Yubin, the same player that Hayata beat even with an injured playing arm. And then even with a bad injury came close to creating the upset in doubles in the teams event against China. The Miwa/Miu pairing has underperformed all year. Miu Hirano had her shot at an Olympic Singles medal in the Paris cycle, but failed to do so. And if it weren't for Hayata's heroic effort, Japan would have gone empty handed in singles. Yes, she took the risk of injury, but Hayata won't have to look back on her career with regrets regarding whether or not to play the bronze medal match.
 
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Sato/Hashimoto said this tournament was an opportunity for people to learn more about choppers.
【インタビュー】張本智和 V王手!世界2位の中国次世代エースを破る「今までの中で一番レベルが高い試合だった」|WTTファイナルズ福岡2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6M1vG3DHsM

【インタビュー】女子ダブルス女王・佐藤瞳/橋本帆乃香「こん大会でカットマンをより知ってもらえるきっかけになった」|WTTファイナルズ福岡2024 女子ダブルス決勝
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM9x93HgZ08
【インタビュー】欧州王者・ルブラン兄弟に敗れ惜しくも準優勝「チャンスがあっただけに悔しい、次に活かしたい」戸上隼輔/篠塚大登|WTTファイナルズ福岡2024 男子ダブルス決勝
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h_Lp_LNOV8

Odo said her biggest thought is that European players are difficult to play.
【インタビュー】大藤沙月 セーチに敗れて準々決勝敗退「ヨーロッパの選手ですごくやりづらかった」|WTTファイナルズ福岡2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhCozr_syhY

【インタビュー】張本美和 世界3位にリベンジならず準々決勝敗退「悔しい気持ちの方が大きい。新しい課題が見つかった」|WTTファイナルズ福岡2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7iBnh8Xqqg
【インタビュー】ファイナルズベスト8 の平野美宇「もっと成長出来るように頑張りたい」|WTTファイナルズ福岡2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEJRT_7U2qc

【インタビュー】Wみゆう 大藤・横井ペアにストレート負け 決勝進出ならず「得るものはあった」|WTTファイナルズ福岡2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2UhBWPClPQ
【インタビュー】佐藤瞳・橋本帆乃香 中国ペアを2試合連続撃破で決勝進出「初戦以上に苦しい展開だったが二人で乗り越えることができた」|WTTファイナルズ福岡2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GgPttgNx7Y
 
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Tieba comments on Matsushima Sora during WTT F Fukuoka 2024.

这松岛辉空什么来头?看了他几次了 (Who is this Matsushima Sora? I have seen him several times already)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9281417626
吃天使滴眷恋 从北京开始,张本家和他组队好多次

但是他好像完全不在乎张本家,不管怎么搞,都无动于衷
IP属地:重庆1楼2024-11-22 10:06回复
Since Beijing [China Smash], Harimoto and he have teamed up many times
,
but he seems to not care about Harimoto's family at all, no matter what is done, he is indifferent

贴吧用户_JRUXe78 你可以把他当成日本版骰子,日乒太子
IP属地:浙江来自Android客户端2楼2024-11-22 10:09回复
You can think of him as the Japanese version of Dice, Japan's table tennis prince

小饭桶桶fxm 不然你猜他为什么叫少爷、日骰、赘空
IP属地:江苏来自Android客户端4楼2024-11-22 10:21回复
Otherwise, guess why he is called Young Master, Dice of Japan, and Adoptive-Marriage Sora?

我是胖猫喵~ 日骰,日本次世代ace,日本喜欢把他塑造成张本2.0
IP属地:云南来自Android客户端5楼2024-11-22 10:24回复
Dice of Japan, Japan's next-gen ace, Japan likes to shape him into Harimoto 2.0

静听疏音 日本骰子
IP属地:山东来自Android客户端6楼2024-11-22 10:25回复
Dice of Japan

风暖尘窗 感觉他是平等地不care所有双打……jtta非要强制包办他和张本家打双打,估计他也很不耐烦,所以jtta不要再强扭瓜了,不会甜的!
IP属地:福建10楼2024-11-22 10:44收起回复
It feels like he doesn't care about all doubles equally... JTTA insisted on forcing him and Harimoto siblings to play doubles, and he [Harimoto] must be very impatient, so JTTA should stop force-twisting the melon, it won't be sweet!
沐昇1: jtta也算成功了啊 要不是跟张本家组双打 也没多少人认识他
2024-11-22 10:48回复
JTTA is also successful in a way. If he hadn't played doubles with Harimoto siblings, not many people would know him
最最最亲爱的歌迷朋友: jtta是为他好啊,他内战打不出来,怎么上单打。他亚锦都选不上
2024-11-22 12:48回复
JTTA is doing this for his own good. He can't play well in civil wars, so how can he play singles? He couldn't even make the team for ATTC
胡桃云片: 不赘双打,单打自己又废物打不出来
2024-11-22 17:08回复
Doesn't care about doubles, yet is also a piece of trash in singles

drodchang 说实话他比张本差远了,还爱装逼,受不了了。
IP属地:重庆11楼2024-11-22 10:47回复
To be honest, he is far worse than Harimoto, and yet he likes to show off. Can't stand him

无法拒绝打鼓女 jtta的宝贝太子,双打一大坨,单打也就那样
IP属地:中国澳门来自Android客户端13楼2024-11-22 11:12回复
JTTA's beloved prince, a big piece of crap in doubles, but just so-so in singles

荠菜土豆玛莎拉 日本少爷,张本家赘婿。
IP属地:山东来自Android客户端14楼2024-11-22 11:14回复
A Japanese young master and son-in-law of the Harimoto family by adoptive marriage

殇变的伪装者 这个是真赔钱货,不管他们家的背景多有戏,他成绩差就是差,巴黎团体只能上P卡意味着他连内战都是四号位选手jtta给他安排了一个最牛逼的上升途径,绑定张本兄妹打双打稳定上国际赛,结果他自己打双打不情不愿,不想打双打天天给搭档摆脸子,21岁的哥追着他哄也就算了,16岁的妹也得哄着他这17岁的猪打球
IP属地:福建来自iPhone客户端27楼2024-11-22 13:02回复
This guy is a real money loser, no matter how impressive his family background is, his results are bad. He can only get a P card for Paris, which means he is a fourth-position player even in the civil war. JTTA arranged the most awesome way for him to rise, to play doubles with Harimoto siblings to steadily enter international competitions, but he plays doubles reluctantly, doesn't want to play doubles and yet gives his partner a cold shoulder every day. [size]As if a 21-year-old brother chasing him down to coax him is not enough, a 16-year-old sister also has to coax this 17-year-old pig to play[/size]
最最最亲爱的歌迷朋友: 他巴奥内战选拔排名十名开外,给个p卡都是jtta黑幕的。
2024-11-22 13:14回复
He was ranked outside the top ten in the selection for the Paris civil war, and the fact that he was given a P card was due to the shady dealings of JTTA
贴吧用户_JRUXe78: 回复 殇变的伪装者 :他内战是倒数,内战第四其实是田中老师
2024-11-22 13:27回复
He was ranked near the bottom in the civil war, and the fourth in the civil war was actually Tanaka-sensei
桃桃叶: 回复 最最最亲爱的歌迷朋友 :可怜的田中老师谁说这jtta选拔公平啊
2024-11-22 13:43回复
Poor Tanaka-sensei, who said that the JTTA selection is fair?
 
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says Shoo...nothing to see here. - zeio
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Harimoto on his new WR (that FZD and ML have not played much and that he's never beaten F. Lebrun) and his loss to WCQ, and that if he plays XD, it must be with Miwa and no one else. So it looks like the discord with Hayata was true.

张本你是真的通透,自己的实力并不是世界第三,是世界第六 (Harimoto is really clear-headed, says his strength is not WR3, but WR6)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9285657782

老盒说争取跟妹妹配混双 (Harimoto says he is looking to pair up with his sister for XD)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9285664809
右手横板 可以,早田伤好了后可以找个男右配,看看谁更强。
IP属地:江苏来自iPhone客户端79楼2024-11-24 19:43收起回复
No problem, after Hayata recovers from her injury, she can find a male right-hand partner and see who is stronger
贴吧用户_7WVA1JW: 其实我一直觉得早田后面能拿到铜牌也跟混双一轮游有点关系,她比较玻璃,后面打伤那么严重。如果真的让她混双打到后面,还真不一定能争下铜牌
2024-11-24 19:54回复
In fact, I always think that Hayata being able to get the bronze medal was also related to her elimination in the first round of XD. She was a bit fragile and was severely injured in the end. If she really reached the later rounds in XD, she might not have been able to win the bronze medal.
纸盒:只和妹妹打混双
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9286054270
纸盒:如果我和妹妹配不了,我是不会打混双的
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9286686223

我嘞个摩托赛后感言 (Harimoto's Instagram entry after the match)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9285726728
 
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Harimoto on 0-4 WCQ in MS F of WTT F Fukuoka 2024.

【WTT福岡】決勝後の張本智和「悔しいと言っていいかわからないほど、相手が上だった」
https://world-tt.com/blog/news/archives/229778
「悔しいと言っていいかわからないほど、すべてに相手が上でした。サービスを変えたり、レシーブを変えても勝てる相手ではないけれども、それすらも効かなかった。
相手(王楚欽)がすごかったのは、一番はぼくのチキータに対しての3球目攻撃です。あんなに強くバックストレートに打ってくる先取は見たこともない。今の自分では返せない。最後、YGサービスに変えて少し展開が良くなりましたが、他のサービスは効かなかった。今日は中国人ファンの声援もすごかったですね」(張本)

「昨日までに得た自信は、自信として持っておきたい」と張本は語る。特にマッチポイントを奪われながら勝利した林詩棟戦は、確かな成長の糧(かて)となったはずだ。
 
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This is just laughable. I mean I'm a fan of Miu Hirano as well, but absolute ace? Come on. Absolute ace who lost to Shin Yubin, the same player that Hayata beat even with an injured playing arm. And then even with a bad injury came close to creating the upset in doubles in the teams event against China. The Miwa/Miu pairing has underperformed all year. Miu Hirano had her shot at an Olympic Singles medal in the Paris cycle, but failed to do so. And if it weren't for Hayata's heroic effort, Japan would have gone empty handed in singles. Yes, she took the risk of injury, but Hayata won't have to look back on her career with regrets regarding whether or not to play the bronze medal match.
Another straw man argument. kittyyoyaji couldn't have been more clear - Hirano was the de facto ace for the WT at Paris 2024. Hayata failed to fulfill her role as the ace in XD and WT. Her job wasn't just about playing WS.

I don't feel like repeating myself. Go convince Murakami.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/attc-2024-astana-10-7-13.34886/post-485128
Has Hayata beaten CM in WS or CXT in WT? Why place WS above WT and vice versa when the same argument is not put forth for Hirano? I'm saying this for the 3rd time now. Both Hayata and Hirano have faults but folks keep choosing to forget the ones for Hayata.

At the end of the day, WT gets the team 6 medals (1 for mascot White Hair) whereas WS gets the player 1 medal. LGL has also said that beating CNT in WT was the 2nd hardest.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-be-revamped-for-paris-2024.24977/post-473809
--If you had to pick one player as the MVP of the team matches, which one would it be?

Murakami: It would be Hirano, who played the most matches in doubles and singles. She was really good in this tournament, and she played her role well according to the order. Hirano and Hayata are now 24 years old, but in today's sports world, with advances in scientific training and nutritional management, even in their late 20s, they will not fall from their physical peak. If we can just raise our motivation, I think we can still close the gap with China.
 
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Another straw man argument. kittyyoyaji couldn't have been more clear - Hirano was the de facto ace for the WT at Paris 2024. Hayata failed to fulfill her role as the ace in XD and WT. Her job wasn't just about playing WS .

I don't feel like repeating myself. Go convince Murakami.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/attc-2024-astana-10-7-13.34886/post-485128


https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-be-revamped-for-paris-2024.24977/post-473809
Miu performed well in WT at the Olympics, but nothing special. She did win all of her singles matches leading up to the Finals. She lost to SYS (11,6,6). That's fine. I wasn't expecting her to win that match, but to somehow catapult her into de facto ace position seems a bit much. Team Japan got their silver medal as expected and life goes on.

I'm sure you will find some selective stat somewhere that proves Hirano was better, but most people won't care. Like it or not, what most table tennis fans will remember the most from the JNT women at the Paris Olympics is that Hina Hayata fought through injury to win the bronze over a surging SYB, and SYB's heart warming sportsmanship when it was over.
 
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After 1-3 Szocs on the 20th, Hayata stated explicitly the reason for the split-up with Ishida, after first "benching" Ishida at Zennoh Cup Tokyo 2023.

Given that comment, Hayata could be going the way of Ito in the LA 2028 cycle. With Harimoto having also revealed at WTT F Fukuoka 2024 that he won't play XD with anyone else other than Miwa, Hayata's value as the go-to player has severely deteriorated (1, 2, 3). Hirano plays the role of 3rd singles well. What can Hayata do now?

早田ひな 102日ぶり復帰戦で敗れるも「120点」 石田コーチとのタッグ解消は「金メダルを獲るため」
https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/11/20/kiji/20241120s00026000303000c.html
 10月下旬から練習を少しずつ再開させ、久しぶりに立った公式戦の舞台。五輪後には、中3から10年間にわたって一緒に歩んできた石田大輔・専属コーチが退任した。その理由を試合後に明かした。

 「10年間見てもらって、必然的に頼っていた部分があった。自立じゃないけど、自分の力で乗り越えていって、自分でいろんなものと向き合って、超えていくというところも含めて。自分の殻を破っていくため、自分を進化させるため。4年後、ベンチコーチに入ってもらっていても、戦うのは最後、1人なので。(五輪で)金を獲るためというのも含めて、自分自身で全てのことを乗り越えていけるようになっていきたいなというのがあった」

 今後の試合出場などは未定ながら、ロス五輪での頂点を大きな目標に掲げ、より自分と向き合って進んでいく。
"I was being watched over for 10 years, so inevitably there were parts where I relied on him. It's not about independence, but it's about overcoming things on my own, facing and overcoming various things on my own. It's to break out of my shell, to evolve. Even if he joins as a bench coach 4 years from now, in the end I'll be fighting alone. I wanted to be able to overcome everything on my own, including winning gold (at the Olympics)."
 
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Like 5ch users, Tieba users are tired of Matsushima's fits and think he is a lost cause.

松岛辉空到底什么水平,未来能怎么发展 (What is the level of Matsushima Sora and how can he develop in the future?)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9292844660
贴吧用户_JQKW4ZR 你看他的比赛就知道了,一逆风就摆烂。和小勒年纪差不多小勒奥运铜牌,他成人赛都打不明白。
IP属地:福建来自Android客户端3楼2024-11-28 16:10收起回复
(You can tell from his matches that he will give up when the tides go against him. He is about the same age as Little Le, who won an Olympic bronze medal, but he can't even play well in the senior events.)
 
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FUJII Hiroko points out Odo is like Hayata that both of them are late bloomers because of how they play. She also thinks that Hayata is in the same position Ishikawa was in after Rio 2016, and that she wants to lose her current style.

https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/article/401796
飛躍の要因はどこにあるのか。大藤をホープス日本代表合宿で指導した卓球元日本代表の藤井寛子氏はこう話す。

「大藤の戦型(せんがた)は、台から少し離れて大きく腕を振る、早田のようなスタイルです。この戦法を取るには身体の強さやボールに回転をかける技術が必要なため、大器晩成型の選手が多い。平野や伊藤美誠(24)が先に台頭し、早田はエースになるまで時間がかかったのがいい例です。
大藤はなかなか芽が出ないなかでも、バックドライブやカウンターに磨きをかけていた。それが一気に花開き、現在の快進撃を生んだのでしょう」


大藤よりもさらに若い16歳の張本美和も、今大会はベスト8に終わった。

「中国選手に敗れましたが、卓球の内容は進化している。中国のトップ選手に対しても打ち負けないし、崩れない。張本は、まだまだ強くなります」(同前)

ケガの影響もあって今大会の初戦で姿を消した早田は、早くも照準を次回のロス五輪に合わせているようだ。

「現在の早田は、たとえいまのスタイルを崩してでも自分の卓球を改革したいと考えている時期だと思います。石川佳純(31)はリオ五輪後、伊藤や平野に押されて結果を残せない時期がありましたが、時間をかけてプレーを改善し、五輪イヤーの’21年に5年ぶりの全日本選手権優勝を飾りました。早田はいま、あの時の石川の立場に立っているのです」(同前)
 
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In-depth write-ups by 井本佳孝/IMOTO Yoshitaka on the women's and men's teams after WTT F Fukuoka 2024. Hayata said after 1-3 Szocs that her condition with her left hand included was roughly at 40%.

早田ひなの復帰戦は「120点」 伊藤美誠を撃破の20歳など、WTTファイナルズ福岡で見えた日本女子卓球の現状 (3ページ目)
https://sportiva.shueisha.co.jp/clm/otherballgame/other/2024/11/29/12020wtt/
 左腕の状態を含めた現状のコンディションについて、試合後に「40%くらい」と語った早田だが、劣勢の状況でもエースの底力を垣間見せた。第3ゲームでは、2ー2からスッチのフォア側を打ち抜く鋭いドライブを決めるなど、集結した観衆の大声援に乗せられる形で11ー6とゲームを奪取した。

張本智和が中国勢や韓国のエースを次々と撃破で準優勝 中国のトップとの距離と課題についても語った
https://sportiva.shueisha.co.jp/clm/otherballgame/other/2024/11/29/post_19/
 
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I was sad when she retired 😭
 
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Posting this as backup for future reference.


Harimoto's dad actually made it the to the national team, as revealed by Wu Jingping.

原来张本爹进过国家队? (Turns out Harimoto's dad was once a national team member?)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9289798605

As for why Harimoto's parents left China and chose Japan, it had to do with proximity and culture.

Back in the days, it was very typical for retired athletes to go overseas to broaden their visions. They actually went to Europe and Italy but found their way of life completely different and couldn't adapt. They always had plans to return to China, to Sichuan to work as coaches, but as time went by and with the births of their children, the center of gravity of their lives switched to Japan.

His dad actually always wanted and supported Harimoto to play table tennis. It was his mom that was torn (see 1st quote) because of her experience (see last quote). NHK aired a TV program "TOKYOアスリート 第1回「卓球 驚異の10代」" back in 9/2018 and she said the same thing.

虾说Sports:张本智和夺冠二三事 金牌的重量(上)
https://sports.sina.cn/others/pingpang/2018-12-21/detail-ihmutuee1430761.d.html

虾说Sports:对话张本智和爸爸 缘何留在日本(中)
https://sports.sina.cn/others/pingpang/2018-12-27/detail-ihqhqcis0692154.d.html
缘何选择留在日本,爸爸张宇这样向新浪体育道出原委:“我感觉最大的优势就是离中国近,回家也容易。我们去过欧洲、去过意大利,跟亚洲人生活完全不一样,不太习惯。挺难选择的,我们以前一直准备回中国、回四川当教练的,一直是这样的想法。 在国外待时间长了,生活重心慢慢就转到了那边,孩子出生以后就慢慢这样子了。”

另一个决定性因素,则是张本智和在乒乓球上展现出来的卓越天赋与巨大潜力。关于儿子要不要成为职业球员,夫妻俩也曾经有过分歧。怀揣着对乒乓球的一腔热爱,爸爸张宇始终是支持的,妈妈张凌更多的是心疼与纠结。

一方面,因为小张本的学习成绩十分优异,特别是数学。考试经常拿100分,能在宫城县里排名前十;一方面,想要成为出类拔萃的乒乓球选手,作为前国手的妈妈张凌自然明白其中的艰辛:“真的是非常得难。”

虾说Sports:张本智和成长记 2018最开心赢马龙(下)
(Missing or was never published)

https://web.archive.org/web/2024012...d-of-the-harimoto-dream_topic91046_page5.html (12/09/2022 at 2:31am)
Latest interview with Table Tennis World Vol 12/2022, by Shi Xiaojuan, Wei Qingguang/ISEKI Seiko's wife in Japan. From Zhang Ling's perspective.

https://weibo.com/5028401794/MiF49v13a
page 25 and 26
巨大的压力让第一次参加奥运会的高中生张本智和几乎不堪承受.

...

  他少年成名,我们没有过他的经历,也就忽略了很多对他的心理建设,他的很多压力我们没有跟上,没能及时给他疏导."

...

  作为美和的专职教练,张凌表示:只要美和全力以卦,我们再累再苦都会陪着.同时,通过哥哥的成长经历,张凌觉得美和没有必要一飞冲天,还是一步一步稳扎稳打,少走弯路更好,尤其要注意的是"保持清醒,不被捧杀.我们的目标就是目前的一个一个比赛".
Harimoto Tomokazu, a high school student participating in the Olympics for the first time, could hardly bear the enormous pressure.

...

He became famous at a young age, we didn't have his experience, so we ignored a lot of psychological construction for him, we didn't keep up with much of his stress, and we couldn't give him timely counseling."

...

As Miwa's full-time coach, Zhang Ling said: As long as Miwa works hard, we will accompany her through thick and thin. At the same time, through the growth experience of his brother, Zhang Ling feels that Miwa's rise doesn't have to be meteoric. One step at a time is better, without taking too many detours, especially to "stay sober, don't be flattered. Our goal is the competition right before us one by one".

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Table tennis did really poorly after Paris 2024. Only Hayata made it in "Clean Athlete".

9/2024 poll
https://www.hakuhodody-media.co.jp/newsrelease/report/20240912_35611.html
「清潔な」アスリート
1位:早田ひな(卓球)
2位:池江璃花子(水泳<競泳>)
3位:東野有紗(バドミントン)と大谷翔平(MLB<大リーグ>)
5位:古賀紗理那(バレーボール<日本代表>)

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-be-revamped-for-paris-2024.24977/post-453338
Table tennis is "chic" in Japan.

3/2024 poll
https://www.hakuhodody-media.co.jp/newsrelease/report/20240328_34724.html
「純粋な」アスリート
1 位:大谷翔平(MLB<大リーグ>)
2 位:早田ひな(卓球)
3 位:平野美宇(卓球)
3 位:張本美和(卓球)

5 位:佐々木朗希(プロ野球<国内>)

「爽やかな」アスリート
1 位:大谷翔平(MLB<大リーグ>)
2 位:五十嵐カノア(サーフィン)
3 位:河村勇輝(バスケットボール<国内>)
4 位:石川祐希(バレーボール<日本代表>)
5 位:早田ひな(卓球)

「親しみやすい」イメージの競技
1 位:プロ野球<国内>
2 位:サッカー<J リーグ>
3 位:バレーボール<日本代表>
4 位:卓球
5 位:大相撲

「可愛い」アスリート
1 位:早田ひな(卓球)
2 位:池江璃花子(水泳<競泳>)
3 位:髙梨沙羅(スキー<ジャンプ>)
4 位:古賀紗理那(バレーボール<日本代表>)
5 位:阿部詩(柔道)

「テクニックがある」イメージの競技
1 位:スケートボード
2 位:スノーボード
3 位:フィギュアスケート
3 位:フェンシング
5 位:卓球

「勢いを感じる」アスリート
1 位:大谷翔平(MLB<大リーグ>)
2 位:北口榛花(陸上<マラソン/駅伝以外>)
3 位:早田ひな(卓球)
4 位:張本美和(卓球)

5 位:井上尚弥(ボクシング)

「勢いを感じる」イメージの競技
1 位:ブレイキン(ブレイクダンス)
2 位:ラグビー<日本代表>
3 位:MLB<大リーグ>
4 位:海外サッカー
4 位:卓球

12/2023 poll
https://web.archive.org/web/2024012...4712600010&w=P11xObo7dKzIUdIH9s9ICDv1QhtJ72iw (12/21/2023 at 11:26am)
10/2023 poll
https://web.archive.org/web/2024012...nnoh-cup-osaka-11-2526_topic91479_page37.html (11/21/2023 at 1:59am)
 
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A Tieba user posted Harimoto's latest interview with Table Tennis Kingdom, specifically the part on MT of Paris 2024 and Mizutani's comments. Basically, Harimoto said he's read Mizutani's harsh comments but has not been able to take them to heart to this day. He knows that his perspective is correct because Mizutani played table tennis to the utmost but he just couldn't get himself to admit it. He said his mom told him those comments were necessary for him right now because no one other than Mizutani could make harsh comments on the current Japan's MT.

户上隼辅奥运采访 (Togami Shunsuke's interview after Paris 2024)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9301736962?pid=151322389039&cid=0#151322389039
Mdvd2Lo.jpg

Www5HDJ.jpg

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iTP4GAw.jpg
 
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TBS exclusive interviews with the Harimoto siblings after ATTC 2024.

張本智和&美和“卓球界の歴史を塗り替えた兄妹”単独インタビュー 50年ぶりの快挙の裏側
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/1582939?display=1
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/1582939?page=2
Q.アジア選手権を振り返って
美和:
まさか優勝できるとは思っていなかったですし、団体戦なので、チームの先輩方と戦ってチーム一丸となって獲得することが出来た金メダルだと思うので、本当に嬉しいです。


Q.中国を破っての優勝は大きな自信につながったのでは
美和:
なりました。相手も大会が続いて、コンディションも万全ではなかったかもしれないですけど、手応えとしては通用する部分が前よりも増えたと感じましたし、勝ったことない選手に勝つことが出来て、今後のすごくいい経験になりました。


Q.通用する部分とは
美和:
前より成長した部分としては、対応能力は良くなった気がしていて、今大会は、卓球台やボールが普段使わないものだったんですが、しっかり特徴を捉えて調整していく所が上手くできたかなと思います。


Q.中国選手に勝利できた要因は
美和:
試合中の「我慢強さ」というところは一番意識して、強くなったと思うところがあって、いつも競ったりするところから勝ち切れなくて、足りない部分がありました。今大会はリードされている所から、また逆にリードしているところから、ファイナルゲームに持ち込むことが出来ました。そこまで我慢すること、そこからファイナルゲームでも弱気にならず強気でいけたのが一番良かったと思います。今までも強気でいけた部分がありましたが、プレーに繋げられなかったです。「やってみたいけど、自信がないな」みたいな感じがあったり、試合が終わった後に後悔してしまったことがあったんですが、今回は勝つことができたけど、もし負けていたとしてもプレーの部分に後悔はなく出来たので、そこが前から変わった部分かなと思います。


Q.“最強の16歳”と言われているが
美和:
言われているんですか?知らないんで・・・・(笑)あまり気にしたことがないので・・・

Q.プレッシャーにはならない
美和:
・・・はい(笑)あまりプレッシャーにはならないですね。


Q.中国選手を2人も破った。追われる立場にもなったのでは
美和:
追われる立場になったとは自分の中では一度も思っていなくて、世界ランクだけを見たら、上の方かもしれないけど年齢的にもまだまだ若いし、チャレンジする年齢。いつでもチャレンジ精神でいることを自分の中では大事にしているところかなと。追われる立場って自分で一回でも思ってしまったら、もう負けてしまうので、そこは意識しないようにしています。

Q.今後の目標は
美和:
28年ロス五輪に今度はシングルスで出場したいというのが一番大きな目標です。


Q.目標を達成するためには
美和:
今年のパリ五輪は国内の選考が厳しいレースだったので、日本国内の方が世界より難しい。国内で競い合うのが難しかったので、まずは全日本選手権で優勝するのも一つの目標ですし、世界ランクを上げていくのも一つ目標。そのために毎日練習を頑張る事、そして試合をして、反省してというのを繰り返して諦めずに取り組むことが大事かなと思います。

...

Q.アジア選手権を振り返って
智和:
団体戦とダブルスで負けてしまって良いスタートではなかったんですけど、シングルスで最低でもメダルを獲って、監督や皆さんに恩返ししたいと思っていたので、そこをモチベーションに頑張りました。


Q.実感は
智和:
勝った瞬間は信じられなくて、すごく嬉しかったんですけど、帰国してからは周りの反応はありましたけど、自分の中ではひと段落ついたかな。いつもコートの中ではすごく嬉しいんですけど、コートを出てホテルに帰るといつもの生活なので、僕は結構引きずらないというか。負けた時は引きずるが、意外と勝った時は冷静にいられる方です。


Q.アジア選手権の金メダルは大きな財産になったのでは
智和:
オリンピック・世界選手権で金メダルを目指すのためには一歩一歩踏み出さないといけないと思うので、そのための一歩としてアジア選手権はいい一歩だったと思うので、ここで金メダルを獲れたからこそ、次は世界選手権で金メダル、4年後にロス五輪で金メダルだと言えると思うので、そのためにも本当に大きな一歩を踏み出せたと思います。

Q.金メダルを獲得出来た要因は
智和:
パリオリンピックで悔しい負け方をして、そこで努力を続けてきたのが一番。パリの時は帰国して2、3日で練習再開しましたし、負けて休みたいというよりは、すぐに練習を再開して次の大会、次の大会と思っていたので、その気持ちが少しは報われたのかなと思います。


Q.その原動力は
智和:
アジア選手権の金メダルもそうですし、世界選手権、オリンピックの金メダルはまだ達成していないので、達成していない限りはそれが原動力になりますし、やめようと思うより、「次こそ獲りたい」と思うので、パリでメダルを獲れなかったのでやるしかなと思いました。


Q.攻める気持ちを貫けた
智和:
取られたゲームも何回かありましたけど、取られた中でも攻めることは出来て、攻めた結果取られたゲームは意外とスッキリしていたもので、こうやって攻めて取られたから、次は違う攻めをしようと思いました。攻めずに取られると、次にどうしようかとか、どう攻めていいか分からないので、このままでいいんじゃないかとか、今回は2-1になる場面が多くて2-0から2-1、確率的にみると僕が6割取っていて、同じことを続ければ僕が取る可能性が高いと思って今までやってきた中で、単なる確率論ではなくて相手が入ってきている中では、この1ゲームだけをみれば相手が100%、僕は0%と考えをしてから、前の2ゲームは別物と考えてプレーすることが出来ました。


Q.アジア選手権で意識が変わったことは
智和:
アジア選手権とか世界選手権、オリンピックはいつも以上に日の丸を背負っている気持ちになりますし、普段のポイントを稼ぐ大会とはまた違う大会なので、オリンピック後で疲れていようが結果だけが全てだと思っていたので、団体とダブルスがすごく悔しかったので、またオリンピックのようになりたくないと思いながら、シングルスだけでもという気持ちが芽生えていたので、その責任感を持ちながらプレッシャーに押しつぶされずにメダルを獲れたことはすごく成長できたかな思います。

Q.今後の目標は
智和:
ロス五輪でシングルスでの金メダルはこの4年間で一番大きい目標。その次は来年に個人戦がある世界選手権。五輪のシングルスでの金メダルに次ぐ2番目の価値があると思うので、その2つというのはこの4年間で達成したいです。

Q.ロス五輪で金メダルを獲得するためにすべきこと
智和:
日々練習を頑張るしかないかなと。いろんなことがありますけど、僕たちには練習しかできないので練習・努力・試合、勝ち負けがあって、それを反省して日本に持ち帰ってまた練習する。つまらない生活かもしれないですけど、それしかすることがないので、特別何かを頑張るとか、秘訣みたいなものがあるわけではなく、地道に他の人よりも1球でも多く打つとか、それでも勝てるか分からないけど、自分が高い自己満足を設定できれば、それを達成することで成長できると思っています。

Q.使命感が強い
智和:
今ランキングも日本で1番ですし、ここ5、6年ずっと一番でやってきたので、他の選手が強くなることは嬉しい事ですけど、個人としては自分が結果を出したいです。選手目線で言えば、底上げよりも、自分が勝つことが大切だと思っています。他の選手が達成する前に自分が達成する、それが日本の選手であろうが、他の海外の選手であろうが、強い選手が多くなっているので、その中でも自分が達成したいと思う気持ちが強いです。
そして、ただ強いだけでなく、それに値する練習量や振る舞いもそうですし、卓球が一番強いから日本で一番の選手ではないので、水谷隼選手(五輪2大会連続メダル)も、誰よりも努力して勝って負けてを繰り返して苦労したからこそ、誰もが認める日本のエースでしたし、僕もそれに値するような選手にならないといけないと思うので、単に優勝したから、強いから、勝てないからあいつがエースだではなく、人間的な部分でもあいつには適わないって思われるような選手にならないといけないと思っています。
Q. Looking back on the Asian Championships
Miwa: I never thought we would win, and since it was the team event, I think we were able to win this gold medal by fighting with our seniors and working as a team, so I'm really happy.

Q. Did beating China to win give you a lot of confidence?
Miwa: Yes. Our opponent had been in a lot of competitions, so maybe they weren't in top condition, but I felt like I was able to use more of my skills than before, and I was able to beat a player I'd never beaten before, so it was a great experience for the future.

Q. What parts of your game were effective?
Miwa: As for the areas where I've grown since before, I feel like I've improved my adaptability. In this tournament, the table tennis table and balls were ones I don't usually use, but I think I was able to grasp the characteristics and make adjustments well.

Q. What was the reason you were able to beat the Chinese players?
Miwa: I was most conscious of "patience" during the match, and I think that's where I've gotten stronger. I wasn't always able to win when I was competing, so there were areas where I was lacking. In this tournament, I was able to take it to the final game from behind, and from the lead. I think the best thing was that I was able to hold on until that point, and then I was able to stay strong in the final game without losing my nerve. Up until now, I've been able to be strong, but I wasn't able to connect it to my play. I've had moments like, "I want to try, but I'm not confident," and I've regretted things after the match, but this time I was able to win, and even if I had lost, I wouldn't have regrets about my play, so I think that's something that's changed from before.

Q. You're called the "strongest 16-year-old"
Miwa: Am I called that? I didn't know... (laughs) I've never really thought about it...

Q. It doesn't put you under pressure?
Miwa: ...No (laughs), it doesn't put me under much pressure.

Q. You beat two Chinese players. Are you in a position of being pursued?
Miwa: I've never thought of myself as being pursued. If you look at the world rankings alone, I may be higher, but I'm still young in terms of age, and I'm at an age where I can challenge. I think it's important for me to always have a challenger spirit. If I ever think that I'm being pursued, I'll lose, so I try not to think about that.

Q. Future goals
Miwa: My biggest goal is to compete in the singles at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Q. How do I achieve your goals?
Miwa: This year's Paris Olympics had a tough selection race in Japan, so it's harder to compete in Japan than in the world. It was difficult to compete in Japan, so one of my goals is to win the All-Japan Championships, and another is to improve my world ranking. To achieve that, I think it's important to practice hard every day, play matches, reflect on them, and keep working hard without giving up.

...

Q. Looking back on the Asian Championships
Tomokazu: It wasn't a good start, as I lost in the team and doubles events, but I wanted to at least win a medal in singles and repay my coach and everyone, so I used that as motivation and worked hard.

Q. How did it feel?
Tomokazu: I couldn't believe it when I won, and I was really happy, but after I got back to Japan, I saw the reactions of those around me, but I think I've calmed down. I'm always really happy on the court, but when I leave the court and go back to the hotel, it's just my normal life, so I don't really dwell on it. I do dwell on it when I lose, but I'm surprisingly able to stay calm when I win.

Q. Is the gold medal at the Asian Championships a great asset?
Tomokazu: I think you have to take one step at a time to aim for a gold medal at the Olympics and World Championships, so I think the Asian Championships was a good step towards that. Because I won the gold medal here, I can say that next I'll win a gold medal at the World Championships and a gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics 4 years later, so I think I've taken a really big step towards that.

Q. What was the reason you were able to win the gold medal?
Tomokazu: The biggest thing was that I suffered a frustrating loss at the Paris Olympics, and continued to work hard from there. After Paris, I returned to Japan and resumed training 2 to 3 days later. Rather than wanting to rest after losing, I immediately resumed training and thought about the next tournament, the next tournament, so I think that feeling was rewarded a little.

Q. What was your driving force?
Tomokazu: I hadn't yet achieved the gold medal at the Asian Championships, World Championships, or Olympics, so as long as I haven't achieved them, that will be my driving force, and rather than thinking about quitting, I think "I want to win next time," so since I didn't get a medal in Paris, I thought I had no choice but to keep going.

Q. Were you able to maintain your aggressive attitude?
Tomokazu: There were a few matches that I lost, but even when I lost, I was able to attack, and the matches that I lost as a result of attacking were surprisingly refreshing, so I thought that because I attacked and lost like that, I would attack differently next time. If I lose without attacking, I don't know what to do next or how to attack, so I think it's okay to keep going like this. This time, there were many scenes where it was 2-1, from 2-0 to 2-1. Statistically, I was winning 60% of the time, and I thought that if I continued doing the same thing, I had a high chance of winning. I've been playing up until now, but it's not just a matter of probability with the opponent in the mix, looking at this 1 game, I thought that the opponent was 100% and I was 0%, and I was able to play by treating the first 2 games as separate things.

Q. What changed your mindset at the Asian Championships?
Tomokazu: The Asian Championships, World Championships, and Olympics make me feel like I'm carrying the Japanese flag more than usual, and they are different tournaments from the usual tournaments where you earn points, so even if I was tired after the Olympics, I thought that the result was everything, so I was very disappointed with the team and doubles, and I didn't want it to be like the Olympics again, but I started to feel like I wanted to at least win in singles, so I think I've grown a lot by winning a medal without being crushed by pressure while holding that sense of responsibility.

Q. What are your future goals?
Tomokazu: My biggest goal for the next 4 years is to win a gold medal in singles at the Los Angeles Olympics. Next is the World Championships next year, which will be an individual edition. I think that's the second most valuable thing after winning a gold medal in singles at the Olympics, so I want to achieve those 2 things in the next 4 years.

Q. What should you do to win a gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics?
Tomokazu: I think I just have to practice hard every day. There are many things, but all I can do is practice, so I practice, work hard, play, win and lose, and then I reflect on that and bring it back to Japan and practice again. It may be a boring life, but that's all I have to do, so I don't have anything special to work hard on or any secrets, but I just steadily hit one more ball than other people, and although I don't know if I'll still win, I think that if I can set a high level of self-satisfaction, I can grow by achieving that.

Q. Do you have a strong sense of mission?
Tomokazu: Right now I'm ranked number 1 in Japan, and I've been number 2 for the last 5 or 6 years, so I'm happy when other players get stronger, but personally I want to get results. From a player's perspective, I think it's more important to win than to improve the overall level. I want to achieve my goals before other players do, whether they are Japanese or foreign players, and there are many strong players, so I have a strong desire to achieve them.

And it's not just about being strong, but also about the amount of practice and behavior that are worthy of it. You're not the best player in Japan just because you're the best at table tennis. Mizutani Jun (who won medals at 2 consecutive Olympic Games) was Japan's ace, recognized by everyone, because he worked harder than anyone else, winning and losing over and over again, and I think I need to become a player worthy of that, so I don't think he's an ace just because he won, or because he's strong, or because he can't win, but I need to become a player that people think is no match for him in terms of humanity as well.
 
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