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Eight-year-old Miu Hirano broke two of Ai Fukuhara’s records in the Junior Division of the All Japan Table Tennis Championships on Wednesday. Hirano bettered Fukuhara’s records of youngest entrant and youngest winner of a match at the national event, held every January at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The elementary school second grader beat her first-round high school opponent after a hard fought slog, but lost in the second round, again against a high school student.
Hirano had to design her own uniform when the event organizers didn’t have one in her size, and she wore a cute black and blue outfit with stars on it.
Hirano, whose face was smaller than her bat, attracted a lot of attention and said with a smile on her face that she was happy to win, but looked shy when she said her dream was to win a gold medal at the Summer Olympics.
Hirano is not so shy about crying however, and the mass media have dubbed her "Ai-chan 2," referring to her propensity to turn on the waterworks when it appears she will lose.
© Wire reports
8 Comments
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smartacus
I hope she doesn't yell out "Saa!" like Ai-chan. Stop them from doing that while they are young.
Richard_the_First
Wonderful, the J media now has a new poster girl. Cultural observation, but why is okay to cry upon defeat here? Not regarding the girl but in general.
soldave
Richard the First - crying on defeat, crying on success, crying on a draw... basically any action can be accompanied by crying here.
Kevin Lee Brooke
I cried last night cuz I spilled my red wine....
I hated Ai-chan from the beginning. Hope this one is less vomit-inducing.
Dennis Bauer
goodbye ai, miu chan will now be in the highlights.
Wakarimasen
Cute outfit though. And small head.
jwills79
I think Ai will challenge Miu to duel.
Ai: "You shall respect my 'Authority' little headed one."
After,they will both cry and a bond will be created. KAWAII!!!
GW
oh heaven help us allllllllllllllllllllllll!