CCTV News: At the table tennis arena of the Tokyo Paralympic Games, a 48-year-old Egyptian athlete made a deep impression on people. Losing his arm, he bit the racket with his mouth and, although he failed to win the first game, his tenacious fighting spirit still won the respect of the people. He was the dreamer who played ping-pong balls with his mouth, Ibrahim Hamato.
Ibrahim Hamato, Egyptian table tennis player at the Tokyo Paralympic Games: The most important life creed in my mind is one of my friends who told me: "Keep doing what you love."
The accident led to amputation of both arms and a ping-pong revival
Ibrahim Hamato lived in Damietta, Egypt, and was once a carpenter. One day on the train home Hamato accidentally fell into the gap between the train and the platform, resulting in amputation of both arms. Hamato said he was devastated by the accident and had not been out for a full year. However, he tried to get back to life, and an encounter with table tennis allowed him to regain the vitality of life.
Tokyo Paralympic Egyptian table tennis player Ibrahim Hamato: In order to pick up the racket, I tried to clip the racket under my armpit, but failed. I tried it again, I tried it again, and the third time I put the handle of the racket in my mouth, bit the racket with my teeth and tried it for a while, and then I thought why not try to play table tennis with my mouth.
Mouth racket Unique way to raise the prestige of the international arena
Since then, Hamato has formed an indissoluble relationship with table tennis. Mouth racket, with the foot serve to achieve hitting, Hamato with his own unique way of playing step by step to the international arena.
In 2011, Hamato won the men's singles runner-up in the African Para Table Tennis Competition, and his deeds touched the then president of the International Table Tennis Federation, and at the 2014 World Table Tennis Championships in Japan, he was invited to participate in the exhibition competition as a guest, and also played friendly matches with Chinese table tennis players such as Ma Long. In 2016, Hamato represented Egypt at the Rio Paralympic Games. Now, he is standing at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Don't be afraid of hardships, and stick to the things you love to the end
Behind every game is a constant sweat and hard work. Hamato says he often spends the whole day practicing his serve and refining his serve technique, which is not an easy task for him.
Ibrahim Hamato, Egyptian table tennis player at the Tokyo Paralympics: Hitting the ball requires me to move my whole body, I need to constantly strengthen my legs because I rely on my legs more than any other player; my neck also needs to be constantly strengthened; and the teeth, the racket can't move between my teeth because that would make the shot very unstable.
Hamato says he loves table tennis and will stick with it as long as his body allows it.
Ibrahim Hamato, Egyptian table tennis player at the Tokyo Paralympic Games: When I stand at the table, I probably forget everything, I feel like I'm talking to table tennis, it's listening to me.
Source: CCTV