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Kimie Bessho

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Kimie Bessho
Bessho at 2006 World Championships
Personal information
NicknameShiny
Born (1947-12-08) 8 December 1947 (age 76)
Hiroshima, Japan
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight53 kg (117 lb)
Sport
Country Japan
SportPara table tennis
Disability classC5
ClubDomani Table Tennis Club
Medal record
Para table tennis
Representing  Japan
Asian Championships
Silver medal – second place 2017 Beijing Women's singles C5
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Amman Women's singles C5
Asian Para Games
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Incheon Women's singles C5

Kimie Bessho (born 8 December 1947) is a Japanese para table tennis player who competes in international level events. She was a bronze medallist at the 2014 Asian Para Games and has participated at the Summer Paralympics four times, she was also the oldest tennis player to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics aged 68 years old. She is often known to wear butterfly hairclips as a superstition for her tournament matches.[1][2]

When Bessho was 39, her husband passed away from a short illness and two years later, she was diagnosed with cancer and had to use a wheelchair indefinitely after two operations. Bessho began playing table tennis at the age of 45 after being fascinated by the sport and made her debut appearance at the 2004 Summer Paralympics finishing in fifth place.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Kimie Bessho - IPTTF Profile". International Para Table Tennis Federation. 8 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Table Tennis - Kimie Bessho". The Nippon Foundation Paralympic Support Centre. 8 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Japan's oldest athlete brings her best to the table". Asia One. 14 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)