PARIS — Daiki Kajiwara, 22, secured his 125th consecutive victory in the men’s singles WH2 class for wheelchair badminton on Monday, claiming the gold medal at the Paris Paralympic Games. This win marks another milestone in Kajiwara’s remarkable career, continuing an undefeated streak that began before the Tokyo Paralympics.
Originally a baseball enthusiast, Kajiwara’s life took a dramatic turn in junior high school when he lost his right leg in a traffic accident. Undeterred, he shifted his focus to wheelchair badminton and quickly rose to prominence. At just 19 years old, he won the first-ever gold medal in men’s WH2-class singles when the sport made its debut at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics.
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| Daiki Kajiwara celebrates his 125th consecutive victory in men’s singles wheelchair badminton, securing gold at the Paris Paralympic Games. |
Despite his early success, Kajiwara remained relentless in his pursuit of excellence. His winning streak, which includes numerous international competitions, has only grown since his Tokyo triumph. In April of this year, he surpassed the record of 107 consecutive wins set by wheelchair tennis legend Shingo Kunieda, whom Kajiwara has long admired as a role model.
Kajiwara’s success is attributed to his meticulous preparation. He reviews match footage with his coach to develop strategies tailored to each opponent and hones his wheelchair maneuvering skills by training with able-bodied players who challenge his agility and speed.
At the Paris Games, Kajiwara dominated the competition, winning all four matches leading up to the final in straight sets, reaffirming his status as the world’s top player in his class.
"Right now, my shot selection is still limited, so there’s plenty of room for improvement. I want to keep winning," Kajiwara said, setting his sights on a third consecutive.
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