Kamiji harbours burning desire for home-spun gold
With her central role as one of three torchbearers to light the Paralympic Cauldron now a matter of days behind her, Yui Kamiji is refocused on a dream that has become a goal – winning gold for Japan at Tokyo 2020.
The Paralympic Games mean everything to the world No. 2. It was the roar of the crowd at the London 2012 opening ceremony that gave her goosebumps, and convinced her to keep fighting to reach the top of the women’s game. Four years later she claimed a bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro – but she wanted more.
“I went to Rio with the intention of winning the gold medal after my experience at the London Paralympics,” admits Kamiji, who lost to Aniek van Koot in the semi-finals before beating Diede De Groot in the bronze medal match.
“Even after I won the bronze medal, I was still frustrated, and I was thinking about what I could have done to win gold. But when I came back to Japan and the people who supported me saw and touched my medal, they said to me, "Congratulations" and "I'm happy for you". That made me pleased to have won a medal. I finally felt happy at that time.
“I think that was the moment when I changed my mind and began preparing to win the next Paralympics.”
So here we are. Kamiji enjoyed a stellar 2020 season that saw her win two of the three Grand Slams, her best season since being crowned ITF World Champion in 2017. Does she feel any added pressure a year on, now that the Games in her home nation are under way?
That’s not Kamiji’s style. She plays her best tennis with a smile on her face, and she has the experience to know what traps lie in store for those who place too much pressure on themselves.
“It’s often said that on that big stage you can miss out due to the slightest of errors, and I've faced some difficult situations there, but I’ve also enjoyed it,” she said. “I think those who enjoy playing the most get the best results. We don't know who is going to win until the end, but I hope I will be competing for the medals.”
But make no mistake: Kamiji knows she is a contender. That smile belies an assassin’s killer instinct on court, and a burning desire to fulfil a long-held Paralympic ambition on the most perfect of stages.
“It's something I longed for when I started playing wheelchair tennis,” she said. “I feel it’s a great opportunity to participate in the Paralympic Games, and it had massive meaning to me when I first played at the Paralympics.
“To win a gold medal is what I've always wanted to achieve. It has an important meaning to me.”