Our Town Inagi 2016: Kazuki Shichino

Aiming for the World Stage in Table Tennis: 17-Year-Old Carrying the Rising Sun Flag

Mr. Nanano, who lives in the city and attends Wako High School (Machida City), represented Japan at the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) Para Spanish Open held in June this year.
This tournament is an official para table tennis competition, held this year in Barcelona, Spain. The classes are divided based on the disabilities of the athletes, and they compete for victory within each class. Mr. Nanano participated in Class 6 (the class with the most severe disabilities for standing players). He competed wearing bilateral leg braces, using a crutch in his left hand and a racket in his right hand, and achieved a remarkable victory against the athlete from the host country, Spain.
Mr. Nanano, who is active in other competitions, is aiming to participate in the Tokyo Paralympics as a "candidate player for the Japan Table Tennis Association for Persons with Disabilities National Team" and as a "certified athlete in Tokyo".

My encounter with table tennis was at a table tennis hall in a hot spring inn during a family trip when I was in the 4th grade. From the moment I held the racket, I was captivated by the charm of table tennis, and I began serious practice after entering junior high school. I participated in my first match in the 2nd year of junior high, and although I lost in the first round, I used that frustration as motivation to continue practicing and have achieved results in various competitions.
When I asked Mr. Nanano, who said with a smile, "I'm happy just playing table tennis," about his recent practice, he mentioned that on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays he has individual practice with his club team, and on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays he works as a coach at the affiliated junior high school, sharing his days filled with table tennis.
The Rio de Janeiro Paralympics concluded on September 18, 2016, marking four years until the Tokyo Paralympics. To participate, points from matches both domestically and internationally are required, and it will be a long journey. Let's support and envision Nanano-san, who will be active as a representative of Japan.