Kaito Oda on Winning Gold in Men’s Singles Wheelchair Tennis

Kaito Oda, the 18-year-old wheelchair tennis representative for the Paris Paralympics, took to Instagram to share his thoughts on winning the gold medal in the men’s singles event.

Oda expressed his honest thoughts, saying, “A night has passed, and I’m feeling a mysterious fear now, and the reality of the situation is slowly sinking in.” He also praised Alfie Hewett (UK), his opponent in the finals, saying, “I’m very grateful to Alfie, who performed with me in the show. We’ve fought in the finals of many tournaments, but this was definitely the best match for both of us.”

Oda continued, “Congratulations to Alfie, who ran up to me after the match and told me, ‘We’ve changed history.’ I believe that together with him, we will continue to lead the men’s wheelchair tennis world and continue to entertain everyone with even higher-level matches.”

Looking to the future, Oda wrote, “I don’t know yet what path I will take, but I will not give up on my dreams and hopes, and I want to continue enjoying life with big dreams and hopes that people will say are impossible.” He also expressed his desire to change the current situation where only wheelchair users play tennis, saying, “I want to create a future where anyone has the chance to enjoy wheelchair tennis.”

Oda concluded by thanking his fans, sponsors, and everyone who supported him, saying, “I feel really relieved now. My best memory is fighting alongside you all. Everyone’s gold medal.” He expressed his gratitude for the support from those around him and hoped to continue to see the next dream story with them.