(Video) Tokito Oda extremely emotional after becoming the youngest men’s wheelchair singles gold medalist ever
Japan's Tokito Oda saves one match point against Alfie Hewett in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Gold medal match.
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Tokito Oda and Alfie Hewett (via X)
Japan’s Tokito Oda came back from a match point down to edge Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett in the wheelchair tennis men’s singles final at the Paris 2024 Paralympics on Saturday (September 7). The Japanese superstar won with a 6-2 4-6 7-5 in a thrilling contest.
The Paralympics Gold medal match at Roland Garros lived up to the hype with both players refusing to give any ground. However, the most wholesome moment came after the match point as Oda removed the wheels of his wheelchair to celebrate by lying on the ground. He was picked up by his opponent, who came to the other side of the net.
As a result of this gold medal win, Oda has become the youngest Paralympic men’s wheelchair singles gold medalist ever. The Japanese sensation is only 18 and has a promising future in front of him.
Oda probably also had personal revenge in his mind as he and Takuya Miki lost in the wheelchair doubles gold medal match to Great Britain’s Hewett and Gordon Reid. He is now succeeding Shingo Kunieda, who retired in January 2023.
Tokito Oda feels the love of Paris at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
Paris has been a special city for Tokito Oda. In addition to winning two of his four wheelchair tennis Grand Slam titles at the French Open, he was named after the famous landmark in the city’s center, the Arc de Triomphe.
This is a special place for me, and there’s no guarantee that there would be another Paralympics in Paris while I’m alive. I’ve been playing with a mindset that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to play at the Games in Paris.Tokito Oda said during an interview at the Paralympic Games
However, the Paralympic Games in Paris have been a different ball game altogether. It was his debut at this level, and he performed at his maximum capacity. Before his competitive debut at this year’s Paralympics, the event itself was already a major turning point in Oda’s career.
When he was nine years old, the Japanese star suffered from a bone cancer diagnosis and had surgery. He saw a video of wheelchair tennis great Shingo Kunieda competing in the men’s singles final of the London 2012 Paralympic Games while receiving treatment in a hospital.
Since taking up the sport, the teenager has outperformed most of his contemporaries in his accomplishments. In the junior wheelchair tennis rankings, Oda rose to the top at the age of 14, becoming the youngest male to hold that position. Three years later, the 18-year-old won his first Grand Slam championship at Roland Garros. He has since won three additional Grand Slam titles and is well-known in his country.
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Fahad Hamid
(646 Articles Published)