Google honors Claudio Kano, Brazilian table tennis player for his contributions to sports

Google today dedicates a beautiful sporty doodle to Claudio Kano, a Japanese Brazilian table tennis player. He is remembered for giving all his endeavors in popularizing the sport in Brazil despite having a very short life. He is honored for spearheading Brazilian table tennis in the 1990s.

Claudio Kano (originally named Cláudio Mitsuhiro Kano) was born on December 18, 1965 in Brazil’s São Paulo. He started playing table tennis at Clube Showa at his age of just 10. His skills highly impressed the top tennis players. They suggested him and his parents to join the São Bernardo Club that is considered as the best table tennis teams in Brazil.

Claudio Kano was playing some years later against some of the most competitive players in the world. He was able to make friends with professional players of the global circuit for his fluency in English, Spanish and Japanese. After playing with Olympic champions in Sweden for four years, Claudio Kano returned to Brazil as one of the most talented players in the country.

Claudio Kano achieved good heights in the world of sports at quite young age. He became the unofficial manager of Brazil’s national team. He was given the responsibility to mentor young players. He went on to win two gold medals in men’s doubles and men’s team table tennis at the 1983 Pan American Games, which catapulted him to a national hero status.

Claudio Kano won 10 more medals, including five golds, at the Pan American Games. He became a role model for children across the country. He also competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1993 Barcelona Olympics, placing in the top 20 in both games.

Claudio Kano had participated in the Summer Olympic Games of 1988 and 1992, but lost in the first stages of both. Unfortunately, he died at the age of 30 on July 1, 1996 in a tragic motorcycle accident. He was about to compete in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He continues to live in the hearts of sportspersons across Brazil.

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