Jun Mizutani

The native form of this personal name is Mizutani Jun. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
Jun Mizutani
Mizutani at the 2013 World Table Tennis Championships
Personal information
NationalityJapanese
Born (1989-06-09) 9 June 1989 (age 35)[1]
Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan
Height172 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Table tennis career
Playing styleLeft-handed, Shakehand grip
Equipment(s)Butterfly, Blade: Mizutani Jun ZLC, Rubbers: Dignics 80 in the forehand, and Dignics 80 in the backhand.
Highest ranking4 (February 2017)[2]
ClubKinoshita Meister Tokyo
Medal record
Men's table tennis
Representing  Japan
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 1 1 2
World Championships 0 1 6
Total 1 2 8
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Mixed Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Team
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Singles
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2016 Kuala Lumpur Team
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Guangzhou Team
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Yokohama Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Moscow Team
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Dortmund Team
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Paris Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Tokyo Team
Asian Championships
Silver medal – second place 2007 Yangzhou Team
Silver medal – second place 2009 Lucknow Team
Silver medal – second place 2012 Macau Team
Silver medal – second place 2013 Busan Team
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Yangzhou Doubles
Asian Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Hanoi Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Wuhan Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Jaipur Singles

Jun Mizutani (水谷 隼, Mizutani Jun, born 9 June 1989) is a retired Japanese table tennis player and Olympic champion.[1] He became the youngest Japanese national champion at the age of 17.[3] He has the distinction of being the first male singles titlist to achieve five consecutive national championships: 2007 to 2011.[4]

Throughout his career, Mizutani competed in 4 Olympic games from 2008 to 2020. After defeating Vladimir Samsonov for the bronze medal by 4–1 in the 2016 Summer Olympics, he finally seized his first singles medal in the three main international tournaments. It was also the first Olympic table tennis singles medal of his country.[5] At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Mizutani and Mima Ito won gold in the inaugural mixed doubles event.

Career

2016

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mizutani earned a bronze medal in the singles event which was his first singles medal at the Olympics, after defeating Vladimir Samsonov in the bronze medal match.[6] Later, he received a silver medal in the team event with his teammates Koki Niwa and Maharu Yoshimura losing to the Chinese team.

2021

In March, Jun Mizutani played in the WTT Star Contender event at WTT Doha, but he suffered a round-of-16 upset to Ruwen Filus.[7]

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Mizutani and Mima Ito defeated Liu Shiwen and Xu Xin in the mixed doubles finals to become the first non-Chinese to win gold at an Olympic table tennis event since 2004. Additionally, Mizutani earned a bronze medal in the team event alongside Koki Niwa and Tomokazu Harimoto beating the South Korean team.[8][9]

Mizutani retired after the 2020 Summer Olympics which was confirmed by World Table Tennis on 10 February 2022. His increasing sight difficulties had forced him to wear special glasses during matches and he cited that it contributed to him retiring.[10]

Personal life

Mizutani married his girlfriend on 22 November 2013. On 14 October 2014, he announced on his blog that his daughter had been born.[11]

Mizutani appeared in the 2017 film Mixed Doubles as himself.

Career records

Singles

As of August 12, 2016[12]

Men's doubles

  • World Championships: SF (2009)
  • ITTF World Tour winner (2): China (Suzhou), Japan Open 2009; Runner-up (4): Chinese Taipei Open 2006, German, English Open 2009, Hungarian Open 2010
  • Asian Games: QF (2006)
  • Asian Championships: SF (2007)

Mixed doubles

  • World Championships: round of 16 (2009)
  • ITTF Tour Winner (2020)
  • Olympic: Winner (2021)

Team

  • Olympics: 5th (2008, 2012), 2nd (2016)
  • World Championships: 3rd (2008, 10, 12, 14), 2nd (2016)
  • World Team Cup: 5th (2009)
  • Asian Games: SF (2010, 14)
  • Asian Championships: 2nd (2007, 09, 12, 13)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jun Mizutani.
  1. ^ a b "ITTF player's profiles". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  2. ^ "ITTF world ranking". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on December 10, 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2011.
  3. ^ "Mizutani, Hirano claim third titles". Kyodo News. January 19, 2009. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  4. ^ "Mizutani makes table tennis history". Kyodo News. January 24, 2011. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  5. ^ "Triumph over adversity: MIZUTANI Jun ready to seize golden opportunity". olympics.com. October 5, 2021.
  6. ^ "Playback Rio: MIZUTANI Jun 'an inspiration for a generation'". olympics.com. September 9, 2022.
  7. ^ "6 Ruwen Filus Shots To Watch Out For In The WTT Doha Finals". edgesandnets.com. March 12, 2021. Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  8. ^ "Japan's Ito and Mizutani Win Olympic Mixed Doubles Gold". edgesandnets.com. July 26, 2021. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  9. ^ "Japan beats Korea, claims bronze in men's team table tennis". nbcolympics.com.
  10. ^ "In Focus: Japanese Icon Jun Mizutani Calls Time On Magical Career". worldtabletennis.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2023.
  11. ^ "Jun Mizutani: A Father Already!". Archived from the original on October 16, 2014.
  12. ^ "ITTF Statistics". International Table Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  13. ^ "Jun Mizutani's Biography and Olympic Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  14. ^ "Jun Mizutani wins 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals". Meniscus Magazine. January 10, 2015. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2015.