Kimie Bessho (別所キミヱ, Bessho Kimie, born 8 December 1947) is a Japanese para table tennis player who competes in international level events. She was a bronze medallist at the

2014 Asian Para Games The 2014 Asian Para Games ( ko, 2014년 장애인 아시아 경기대회/2014년 장애인 아시안 게임, Icheon sibsa-nyeon jangaein Asia gyeonggi daehoe/Icheon sibsa-nyeon jangaein Asian Geim), also known as the 2nd Asian Para Games, was an A ...

and has participated at the

Summer Paralympics The Summer Paralympics also known as the Games of the Paralympiad, are an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral ...

four times, she was also one of the oldest participants to compete at the

2016 Summer Paralympics ) , nations = 159 , athletes = 4,342 , opening = 7 September , closing = 18 September , opened_by = President Michel Temer , cauldron = Clodoaldo Silva , events = 528 in 22 sports , stadium = Maracanã , sum ...

aged 68 years old. She is often known to wear butterfly hairclips as a

superstition A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and ...

for her tournament matches and is referred to as "The Butterfly Lady".

Background

Bessho grew up in

Hiroshima, Japan is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Hiroshima Prefecture has a population of 2,811,410 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 8,479 km² (3,274 sq mi). Hiroshima Prefecture borders Okayama ...

as one of eight children. When Bessho was 39, her husband died from a short illness and two years later, she was diagnosed with cancer and had to use a wheelchair indefinitely after two operations. She was told at that time that she only had three years to live. Bessho began playing table tennis at the age of 45 after being fascinated by the sport and made her debut appearance at the

2004 Summer Paralympics ) , nations = 136 , athletes = 3,806 , events = 519 in 19 sports , opening = 17 September , closing = 28 September , opened_by = President Costis Stephanopoulos , cauldron = Georgios Toptsis , stadium = Olympic ...

finishing in fifth place. In 2018, she was injured in two more car accidents, but has continued to play table tennis.

Career records

source *2015

German Open German Open is a name given to many sports events established in Germany, and include: *German Open (badminton), an annual badminton tournament held since 1955. *German Open (golf), was a golf tournament on the European Tour *German Masters, a snook ...

: Singles: 3rd Place *2016 Japan Open: 1st Place *2016 Slovakia Open: 3rd Place *2016 8th Para Table Tennis Championships: 1st Place *2016

Paralympic Games The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

5th Place *2017

Asian Para Table Tennis Championships Asian Para Table Tennis Championships are a biennial sports event for para table tennis players who represent an Asian country. It debuted in 2005 as Asia and Oceania Championships but separated in 2013. Locations The competitor numbers are of Asia ...

(Beijing): 2nd Place *2017 9th Para Table Tennis Championships: 1st Place *2017 Thailand Open: 2nd Place

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bessho, Kimie 1947 births Living people Sportspeople from Hiroshima People from Akashi, Hyōgo Paralympic table tennis players for Japan Table tennis players at the 2004 Summer Paralympics Table tennis players at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Table tennis players at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Table tennis players at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Japanese female table tennis players Medalists at the 2014 Asian Para Games