Sayaka Hirano Explained

Sayaka Hirano
Hrank:10 (August 2011)[1]
Birth Date:1985 3, df=yes[2]
Birth Place:Kanuma, Tochigi, Japan
Height:158 cm
Weight:54 kg[3]

is a Japanese five-time national table tennis champion.[4]

She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, reaching the third round of the singles competition. She also competed in the team competition, reaching the bronze medal final but losing to South Korea.[5]

At the 2012 London Olympics Women's Team Event semi-finals, she helped Japan overcome Singapore to reach their historic first final by winning her doubles match with Kasumi Ishikawa over Wang Yuegu and Li Jiawei (11-3, 13-11 and 11–4).[6] [7] Japan failed to beat China in the final, but won the first ever silver medal for their country in table tennis.[8]

In March 2016, it was announced that she would be retiring after the Japanese Table Tennis League Big Tournament in April. She was beaten in the first round by Yuko Fujii and after the match, she said, "I feel I’ve done everything, I might have wanted to play a little better match. I’ve gone into each match thinking as if it were the last, and managed to end without any regrets".[9]

After her retirement as a professional table tennis player, she has become a familiar face in Japanese households as a TV presenter and table tennis sportscaster. She is also an adviser for table tennis club MIKI House.[10]

Career records

Singles (as of 10 October 2015)[11]

round of 32 (2008).

round of 16 (2011).

QF (2010).

Round of 16 (2003, 05, 07, 09).

6th (2004).

Women's doubles

Mixed doubles

Team

3rd (2009).

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ITTF world ranking . International Table Tennis Federation . 2010-08-09.
  2. Web site: ITTF players' profiles . International Table Tennis Federation . 2010-08-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121003061716/http://www.ittf.com/biography/biography_web_details.asp?Player_ID=103610 . 3 October 2012 .
  3. Web site: Japanese Medalists in London 2012 Olympics. joc.or.jp. Japanese Olympic Committee. 17 January 2014.
  4. Web site: ［元卓球日本代表 平野早矢香さん］（下）好きなおしゃべりが仕事になった 東京五輪・パラリンピックの魅力を伝えたい | Page 2.
  5. Web site: Olympic results . https://web.archive.org/web/20200417212100/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/hi/sayaka-hirano-1.html . dead . 2020-04-17 . sports-reference.com . 2010-08-09.
  6. Web site: Women's Team Event semi-finals 1 results . 6 August 2012 . 6 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120806043018/http://www.london2012.com/table-tennis/event/women-team/match=ttw400202/index.html . dead .
  7. Web site: Japanese women make it through . 6 August 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120827122855/http://www.london2012.com/news/articles/japanese-women-make-through.html . 27 August 2012 .
  8. Web site: Women's team finals results . 8 August 2012 . 3 January 2013 . https://archive.today/20130103195648/www.london2012.com/table-tennis/event/women-team/match=ttw400101/index.html . dead .
  9. Web site: Sayaka Hirano bids farewell to table tennis. 9 April 2016.
  10. Web site: ［元卓球日本代表 平野早矢香さん］（下）好きなおしゃべりが仕事になった 東京五輪・パラリンピックの魅力を伝えたい | Page 2.
  11. Web site: ITTF Statistics . International Table Tennis Federation . 2010-08-09 .

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