Takuya Miki

Started: He took up the sport seriously in 2009 in Kobe, Japan. (Athlete, 08 Sep 2016; Nippon Challenged Athlete Radio, 14 May 2021) Reason: He was influenced by his grandfather who was a tennis coach. Before his impairment, he competed in non-Para tennis at national level while at high school. Following his impairment, he was encouraged to take up the sport by his doctor and physiotherapist. He was also inspired to pursue wheelchair tennis after watching the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing on television. "When I heard about wheelchair tennis, I was so excited to think that I would be able to play tennis again." (Athlete, 08 Sep 2016, 16 Aug 2012; ninomiyasports.com, 27 Mar 2012; Nippon Challenged Athlete Radio, 14 May 2021) Ambition: To win a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (San-in Chuo Shimpo YouTube channel, 14 Feb 2024) Awards: In 2020 he received the Ono Motoyoshi Memorial Physical Education Award in Kawaguchi, Japan. (city.kawaguchi.lg.jp, 24 Jan 2020) In 2012 he was presented with the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Award in Japan. (star.ap.teacup.com, 29 Dec 2012) Additional Info: OVERCOMING INJURIES He has been troubled by a number of injuries. After undergoing surgery following a fall from a broken ramp in 2017, he suffered from inflammation in his knee and back pain, which made him consider retiring from the sport. He was also troubled by inflammation in his pelvis in August 2018, which kept him out of competition until February the following year. "After recovering from knee surgery, I began having backache, and it even made me consider retiring from competition. However, my fellow wheelchair tennis player Shingo Kunieda introduced me to a physiotherapist who improved my back. It gave me hope I would still be able to play tennis. In particular, it was so hard for me to not train or play for a half year." (nikkansports.com, 23 Apr 2019; asahi.com, 07 Jan 2020; Nippon Challenged Athlete Radio, 14 May 2021) SWAPPING STUDIES FOR SPORT He began studying at Kobe Gakuin University in Japan in 2009 and aspired to become a physiotherapist. He left his studies the following year after being invited to train in Chiba, Japan, by wheelchair tennis player Shingo Kunieda and his coach Hiromichi Maruyama after he won the 2010 Kobe Open. "At the Kobe Open, Shingo Kunieda came to me and said that he wanted to prepare for the 2012 Paralympic Games with me. I initially wanted to continue studying while playing, but I felt it would be too difficult. My mother supported me moving to Chiba, but my father strongly disagreed about me leaving university. It was my first parent-child fight. I had to make a plan to show him, and my mother also helped me persuade him in the end." (Nippon Challenged Athlete Radio, 14 May 2021; sports.gazoo.com, 09 Mar 2021) BOOK RELEASE His autobiography 'Beyond the Wall I Got Over' was released in 2018. (amazon.co.jp, 22 Mar 2018)