New Jeans Hani Basketball: Skills & Japan Fame

[파이낸셜뉴스] This is not the appearance of a simple ‘athlete’. It is as if an idol center has descended on the court. The Japanese badminton world has been turned upside down by a girl who has just turned 20. The main character is Maya Taguchi (20, ACT SAIKYO).

Recently, reactions have been pouring in online communities and social media, saying, “I thought New Jeans Hani was holding a badminton stick.” White skin, short hair, and a refreshing smile on the court. She has captured the attention of fans in both Korea and Japan at the same time and has emerged as a ‘trump card’ that will shake up the 2028 LA Olympics.

On the 13th, the Japanese badminton world heated up with a photo rather than a match result. The catalyst was the photo of Taguchi’s Kimono commemorating Coming of Age Day, which he released through his team’s official SNS. The profile of her wearing a white kimono and staring somewhere looked like a scene from a romantic movie rather than that of a sports star.

The reaction was literally ‘explosive’. Local Japanese fans were enthusiastic, saying, “A real angel has come down,” “She’s so cute that I don’t want to go to work,” and “Even if she debuts in the entertainment industry right away, she will take the center.”

In addition, the shot of him wearing the blue uniform that was recently posted on the Yonex account was a highlight.

Her bright smile while holding a racket was praised as ‘transparent beauty’. Her every move is now becoming ‘news’ to the extent that a related article ranked first on the Japanese portal Yahoo Japan.

However, it would be a big mistake to dismiss Taguchi as simply a ‘good-looking star.’ Her true value is revealed only when she holds the racket.

His long reach and dynamic smashing skills, which come from his solid 166cm height, were already well-known since his high school days. She won the gold medal in women’s doubles at the 2023 World Junior Championships, proving that she is ‘world class’.

The first person to recognize this talent was none other than Japan’s badminton ‘living legend’ Yuta Watanabe.

Watanabe, a two-time Olympic medalist, saw Taguchi’s potential and personally offered him a partner. The meeting of ‘legend’ and ‘divinity’. They shocked the Japanese badminton world by winning the All Japan Championships just one year and three months after their formation.

The reason Taguchi’s story is more dramatic is because of her ‘story’. Behind her gorgeous appearance, there was a time of grueling rehabilitation.

Last April, Taguchi had to leave the court due to a left knee injury. After going through an endless tunnel of rehabilitation, she returned in September and proudly lifted the championship trophy, proving her ‘mentality’. This is why the Japanese media is calling her “not just a promising star, but a next-generation icon.”

Currently, Taguchi is treating injuries and training in parallel, and is setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles (LA) Olympics.

Against Korean badminton, which had Ahn Se-young, Japan brought out a powerful card in Maya Taguchi, who had both ‘star quality’ and ‘skill’.

A fairy resembling ‘New Jeans Hani’ outside the court, a scary ‘fighter’ inside the court. Maya Taguchi. It won’t be long before her smash hits take the world by storm.

[email protected] Reporter Jeon Sang-il