July 28, 2008
Olympic Games: The Land of the Rising Table Tennis Stars
 Jun Mizutani Photo By: Ayoade Ademakinwa |
Courtesy of ITTF In the Men's Team event at the forthcoming Beijing Olympic Games they are definite medal contenders; a statement that would not have been made so boldly had team events been staged at the Athens OIympic Games four years ago. |
Japan experienced a meteoric rise to table tennis prominence in the 1950s and enjoyed almost two decades of halcyon days.
However, as the twentieth century drew to a close, the fortunes of the once super power dwindled.
New Approach
A new approach was needed and innovative thinking in the twenty-first century has seen a new era dawn for the Japan's men.
Over the years the trend has been overwhelmingly for players from Europe to spend time in Asia in an effort to hone their skills. Sweden's Stellan Bengtsson, the winner of the Men's Singles title at the World Championships in Nagoya in 1971, and the first left hander to clinch the coveted title, attributed his success to having been given the opportunity to train in Japan.
The Exact Opposite
However, in the twenty-first century Japan has done the exact opposite.
They sent their most promising young men to Germany and the move has paid dividends.
Both eighteen year old Jun Mizutani and twenty-one year old Seiya Kishikawa are members of the Japanese men's team at the Olympic Games in Beijing. They line up alongside twenty-nine year old Kan Yo, the former Han Yang who learnt his trade in China before moving to Japan and gaining nationality.
All three have been instrumental in Japan's rise in fortunes in recent years, particularly Seiya Kishikawa and Jun Mizutani.
World Team Championships
The records speak for themselves.
In 2004 at the Liebherr World Team Championships in Doha (QAT) the Japanese Men's Team finished in 12th place, two years later in Bremen (GER) they concluded matters in 14th place; in February 2008 in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, the reading was much better.
They were the bronze medalists, the glory days had returned.
Asian Championships
It is a similar story at the Asian Championships.
In 2003 in Bangkok, Thailand and 2005 in Jeju-do, Korea the Japanese Men's Team finished in fifth place; in 2007 in Yangzhou, some four hours by coach from the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai, the end result was much better. They were the silver medalists.
Brainchild of Mario Amizic
The concept of practicing in Germany was the brainchild of Croatia's Mario Amizic.
He had for many years been the head coach at top German club, Borussia Düsseldorf before moving to Japan to take charge of the young male players; he believed the intensity of practice at his former club and competing in the powerful German Bundesliga was the recipe the likes of Jun Mizutani and Seiya Kishikawa required.
Proved Correct
He was correct. Jun Mizutani and Seiya Kishikawa became World Junior Boys' Doubles champions in 2004 while on Friday June 9, 2006 Jun Mizutani caused one of the year's major sensations.
In the second round of the Men's Singles event at the ITTF Pro Tour tournament in Chinese Taipei he beat Korea's Ryu Seung Min, the reigning Olympic champion.
The relevance of the date, it was Jun Mizutani's seventeenth birthday!
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