Office for Sports Promotion

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government provides support to improve the competitiveness of Tokyo athletes so that they can play an active role on the international stage including the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Established a certification system.

On this page, we will interview certified athletes on the theme of ``Let's grow ourselves through sports and think about a better relationship between sports and society.''

16th Takashi Takeda (Adachi Ward/Minato Ward) Para Table Tennis

【profile】
Takashi Takeda Born September 1980, 9 in Akita Prefecture Belongs to Trust System Co., Ltd.
Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games, team 2nd place, individual 3rd place (2014)
Slovakia Open Tournament Team 2nd place (2015)
Slovenia Open Tournament Team 3rd place (2015)
FID Japan Championship Table Tennis Tournament (2015), 3rd place individually, 1st place in doubles (2015)
4st place in doubles for 1 consecutive years.

I am who I am today because of table tennis.
I want to give back by playing this sport that I love.

I started playing table tennis just for fun, but now I'm on my way to a national tournament.

At the Paralympic Games, table tennis is divided into 11 classes based on disability. The ``Persons with Physical Disabilities'' category has five categories each for wheelchairs and standing positions, and the ``Persons with Intellectual Disabilities'' category is divided into ``Class 5.'' At the 11 London Paralympic Games, Table Tennis Class 2012 became an official event for the first time in three Games.
　Takashi Takeda was born in Akita Prefecture and began playing table tennis with his friends at the age of five at a local children's center.It was fun to watch the rally continue, and at first it felt like a game.Because there were no strong players around him, he participated in the All Japan Table Tennis Championships (Cub Division) as a representative of Akita Prefecture at the age of six. Even after moving to Tokyo when he was seven years old, he continued to spend his days chasing white balls with children and elderly people at a local children's center.Shakehand rackets were the mainstream in the world of table tennis, but Takeda started using a racket called a pen holder after seeing one at a children's center.He loved table tennis, and as a result of practicing all the time, in his first year of high school, he won the ``Yuai Pick Hokkaido Tournament,'' a tournament for people with disabilities.

However, after competing in junior tournaments, Takeda began to compete in tournaments that included senior age groups, and a veteran athlete who had competed in the Sydney Paralympics stood in his way. ``He was a strong person, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't win, and if he hit that player in a match, he would lose.He was especially good at serving. I was able to think about the characteristics of the team, think about how I could win, and devise ways to practice, and I was able to make receptions that I hadn't been able to make before, so I think I became stronger."When Takeda was 23 years old, he was finally able to defeat the veteran fighter and win the FID Japan Championship.

Representing Japan on the Asian and world stage

Takeda has become one of the top players in Japan and is now participating in tournaments in Asia as a representative of Japan. He won the men's singles title at the 2002 FESPICK Busan tournament in South Korea.In the intellectually disabled category, Japan's rivals were Hong Kong and South Korea, but the three male athletes from Japan dominated the podium at the tournament. “It was the first and last time I saw the three Japanese flags lined up and hoisted at the awards ceremony, but I remember being so happy that we all won.”
　After winning the Asian Games, he started dreaming of the World Championships and the Paralympic Games.The following year, at the 2003 Para Table Tennis World Championships in Mexico, he advanced to the finals in both the men's team and individual singles events.Although he unfortunately missed out on winning, he was able to gain the confidence to compete on the world stage, and his awareness increased.However, at that time, it was still financially difficult for him to go on any overseas expeditions, so he did his best with the limited grant money he had.

At the time of the Athens Paralympics, Table Tennis Class 11 was held as a test tournament in preparation for the London Paralympics, and Takeda participated not as a representative player but as one of the players in the test tournament.However, there were some strong overseas players competing in the world championships, and in the semifinals he faced a Polish player who was ranked 3rd in the world at the time (Takeda was 2nd in the world at the time).After a full set of close matches, this time it was a bitter loss.Takeda's table tennis has been studied by players both in Japan and abroad, and they have begun to develop countermeasures.Under the guidance of his former coach, Takeda also learned new skills and needed to further evolve.
　The Asian Para Games began to be held in 2010, and Takeda represented Japan at the 2014nd Asian Para Games in Incheon in 2.She won a silver medal in the team event and a bronze medal in the individual event. Although she missed out on the representative spot at the London Paralympics two years ago, her desire for the Paralympics grew even more as she experienced the Asian Paralympic Games, which featured a variety of sports.

I want to carry everyone's dreams and participate in the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

When he was a child, he started playing table tennis for fun with friends in the neighborhood, but before he knew it, he had progressed to the point where he was competing at the top level both domestically and internationally.
“Thanks to my encounter with table tennis, I was able to travel to many different countries and meet all kinds of people, and I feel truly blessed.I love table tennis, and with the support of so many people, I am able to continue playing it. , I am truly grateful.I was able to beat players who were said to be stronger than me, and my coach taught me various techniques, and I was able to do things that I couldn't do before. , we became friends. Nothing but good things have happened."
　Takeda is said to be able to play tenaciously, and his mental strength, which allows him to come from behind to win, is said to be his strength.During the interview, he spoke lively about players whose playing styles he liked, the rubber of his rackets, and tactics.
　``I was very disappointed that I couldn't participate in the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, but I have never thought of quitting table tennis.I think I can still do it, and I just love it.'' I am looking forward to the 2 Paralympics.The Paralympics, which will be held in Tokyo, is the stage of a special dream.The people of Adachi Ward, who I have played table tennis with since I was a child, the coaches, the people at work, everyone, I will do my best. I think they'll be happy because of that. And when I compete, I want to win a medal. I think that's the best way to repay the favor."

Even in the world of para table tennis, equipment changes year by year.Although he has his hands full at the moment, he is motivated to get used to the changes under the guidance of his coach and utilize his veteran experience to produce results year after year.In order to learn new skills, you have to memorize them over and over again, even more than a healthy person.
``It's okay because I like practicing, but what I'm having trouble with is food.I live alone, so I have to prepare my own food, but I practice until after 21pm every day, and I stop by the supermarket on the way home. Sometimes I'm too tired to cook when I get home.In addition to practicing my table tennis skills, I have to work hard on my physical fitness and nutrition.Eating only the boxed lunches you buy at the supermarket every day won't cut it.''
I am who I am today because of table tennis.Takeda is silently going to the practice field today, carrying the dreams of everyone who supported him.

What kind of sport is para table tennis?

Para table tennis competitions are divided into classes according to the degree of disability and motor function, such as people with physical disabilities such as wheelchairs or amputated arms, and people with intellectual disabilities, and competitions are held in each class.The competition is based on the rules of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), but some rules change depending on the class.

For information on the competition content and history, please refer to the official website of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Preparation Bureau.
http://www.2020games.metro.tokyo.jp/taikaijyunbi/taikai/syumoku/games-paralympic/p_table_tennis/index.html

[Life skills learned through sports]

In order to learn new techniques, players are required to have strong communication with their coaches and practice with patience and concentration.By having table tennis at the center of your life, you will be able to clearly define the goals you want to pursue, and with the help and support of many people, you will become stronger.He is always upbeat, a mood maker, and can lead the team as a good advisor to the younger players.