Cláudio Kano

Cláudio Mitsuhiro Kano (18 December 1965 – 1 July 1996) was a Japanese Brazilian table tennis player who helped popularize the sport in Brazil and "spearheaded Brazilian table tennis in the 1990s".[1]

Cláudio Kano
Full name	Cláudio Mitsuhiro Kano
Nationality	Brazil
Born	(1965-12-18)18 December 1965 São Paulo, Brazil
Died	1 July 1996(1996-07-01) (aged 30) São Paulo, Brazil
Medal record Men's table tennis Representing  Brazil Pan American Games 1983 Caracas Doubles 1983 Caracas Team 1987 Indianapolis Team 1991 Havana Doubles 1991 Havana Team 1995 Mar del Plata Doubles 1995 Mar del Plata Team 1987 Indianapolis Doubles 1991 Havana Singles 1995 Mar del Plata Singles 1983 Caracas Mixed doubles 1987 Indianapolis Singles

Aged 17, he shared two gold medal, in men's doubles and men's team, at the Pan American Games. He went on to win five more golds, three silvers, and two bronze at later Pan American Games. He died in a motorcycle accident in his native São Paulo, aged 30.[2][3] He had participated in the Summer Olympic Games of 1988 and 1992, but lost in the first stages of both.[4][5]