Information personnelle
Residence Tokyo, JPN
Occupation Athlete, Office Worker
Languages Japanese
Higher education Law - Hosei University: Tokyo, JPN
Numéro de licence 29051997000
Club
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport? He began fencing at age five.
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.
Club / Team Septeni Holdings: Japan
Name of coach Erwann Le Pechoux [national], FRA
Handedness Right
General Interest
Nicknames Chiri Chiri (fencingfan.net, 25 Oct 2016)
Hobbies Yoga. (Instagram profile, 18 Feb 2021)
Most influential person in career His father Shigeru. (4years.asahi.com, 17 Sep 2021)
Hero / Idol Japanese fencer Yuki Ota. (joc.or.jp, 16 Mar 2016)
Injuries In July 2022 he sustained an injury to his hip joint and was sidelined for five months. (hochi.news, 10 Dec 2022)
Sporting philosophy / motto "Where there is a will, there is a way." (Ameba profile, 18 May 2020)
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)
Famous relatives His father Shigeru Saito competed in fencing at national level in Japan. (sports.yahoo.co.jp, 28 Feb 2018)
Ambitions To win gold in individual and team foil at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (sports.yahoo.co.jp, 12 Jan 2022)
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)
