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SAITO Toshiya
NOC Japan   
GenderMen
Born 29 May 1997
Height1.78 m
Human Interest
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team Septeni Holdings: Japan
Further Personal Information
Higher education Law - Hosei University: Tokyo, JPN
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? He and his sister took up the sport after his father established a fencing club in Minowa, Japan. At the time he was interested in television shows about Japanese superheroes.
General Interest
Hero / Idol Japanese fencer Yuki Ota. (joc.or.jp, 16 Mar 2016)
Ambitions To win gold in individual and team foil at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (sports.yahoo.co.jp, 12 Jan 2022)
Sport Specific Information
Handedness Right
When and where did you begin this sport? He began fencing at age five.
Further Personal Information
Languages Japanese
General Interest
Hobbies Yoga. (Instagram profile, 18 Feb 2021)
Most influential person in career His father Shigeru. (4years.asahi.com, 17 Sep 2021)
Awards and honours In 2018 he received a Special Award at the ABN Sports Grand Awards in Japan. (abn-tv.co.jp, 07 May 2018)
Nicknames Chiri Chiri (fencingfan.net, 25 Oct 2016)
Sporting philosophy / motto "Where there is a will, there is a way." (Ameba profile, 18 May 2020)
Famous relatives His father Shigeru Saito competed in fencing at national level in Japan. (sports.yahoo.co.jp, 28 Feb 2018)
Further Personal Information
Occupation Athlete, Office Worker
General Interest
Other information INSPIRATION
As a primary school student, he was given the chance to compete in an exhibition bout against Japanese fencer Yuki Ota. "Although I was a little child, I could feel that he fought against me with all his heart. He taught me about the attitude a fencer needs to have. Moreover, I started dreaming about the Olympic Games after listening to his Olympic experience. That one day changed my view of life." (king-gear.com, 19 May 2018)
Further Personal Information
Residence Tokyo, JPN
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach Erwann Le Pechoux [national], FRA
General Interest
Injuries In July 2022 he sustained an injury to his hip joint and was sidelined for five months. (hochi.news, 10 Dec 2022)

Major Results
Year Rank Event Venue
Olympic Games
2020 4 Team Foil Tokyo, Japan
World Championships
2018 7 Team Foil Wuxi, China
2017 2 Individual Foil Leipzig, Germany
2017 Final 7-8 Team Foil Leipzig, Germany
Asian Championships
2019 3 Individual Foil Tokyo, Japan
2018 3 Team Foil Bangkok, Thailand
2018 5 Individual Foil Bangkok, Thailand
2017 4 Team Foil Hong Kong, China
2017 Quarterfinal Individual Foil Hong Kong, China