WTT Star Contender Chennai: Tomokazu Harimoto eyes medals at Olympics and World Championship

Tomokazu Harimoto, a rising star in table tennis, aims for Olympic and World championship gold with unwavering determination.

Tomokazu Harimoto has been in the public eye ever since he was 12 years old. In 2015, he became the youngest player in history to reach the main draw of an International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour event, after he topped his qualification group in the Polish Open in Warsaw.

In the main draw of the Polish Open, the 12-year-old lost to Ma Long, the reigning Olympic and World champion, without being able to take a game (4-0).

Three years later on June 18 2018, Harimoto, as a 15-year-old, turned the tables on Ma Long, by beating the reigning World champion in the quarterfinals of the Japan Open.

Since then, he has won eight singles titles, four in men’s doubles and eight in mixed doubles on the ITTF/WTT Tour, making him one of the best players in the world.

Despite being immensely gifted, the 21-year-old, World No.3, hasn’t won a medal in Olympics in singles category having lost early in Tokyo (round of 16) and Paris (quarterfinals). Harimoto said he’s working hard day in and day out with an Olympic medal in mind. “Yes, my biggest goal is an Olympic singles medal, especially gold medal. I couldn’t get it in Paris, but I want to win it the next time I play, so I’m motivating myself every day. I want to work hard until that day comes,” said Harimoto at the WTT Star Contender Chennai where he is the top seed.

Harimoto has been a child prodigy, having been scrutinised by one and all, but he said he’s been used to it by now. “At first, when I was 13 or 14, I didn’t feel much pressure, but my ranking went up little by little, and other players started to prepare for it, so it’s still the same now. I try not to think about the match as much as possible, and not to worry about what I’ll do if I lose. I’m working hard, trying to concentrate on my play,” he said.

The World championships has been another of his targets. He has not gone past the quarterfinals in four previous attempts. However, Harimoto said winning the singles title in the recent Asian championships in Astana — the first Japanese in 50 years to do so — has really motivated him to do well in the Worlds in May. “I’m proud of myself, and I want to use the Asian title as a stepping stone to the World championships and the Olympics,” he said.