Yo Kan

{{short description|Japanese table tennis player}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox table tennis player

| name = Yo Kan

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| fullname =

| nickname =

| nationality = {{JPN}}

| residence = Tokyo, Japan

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|10|19|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Shenyang, Liaoning, China

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|m=1.81|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|82|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}

| website =

| playingstyle = Right-handed, penhold

| equipment =

| club = Tokyo Art

| hrank = 17 (April 2008)

| crank = 99 (December 2012)

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport | Men's table tennis }}

{{MedalCountry | {{JPN}} }}

{{MedalCompetition | ITTF Pro Tour }}

{{MedalGold | 2007 Belo Horizonte|Singles }}

{{MedalGold | 2007 Santiago|Singles }}

| show-medals = yes

}}

{{Nihongo|Yo Kan|韓陽 |Kan Yo|born October 19, 1978 in Shenyang, Liaoning}}, or Han Yang in Chinese, is a Japanese table tennis player of Chinese origin.{{cite Sports-Reference |title=Yo Kan |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ka/yo-kan-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417212035/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ka/yo-kan-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |access-date=25 February 2013}} He won two gold medals in the men's singles at the 2007 ITTF Pro Tour series in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and in Santiago, Chile.{{cite news |last=Marshall |first=Ian |title=Kan Yo in his First Ever ITTF Pro Tour Final Captures Gold in Brazil |url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=11501 |publisher=ITTF |date=15 April 2007 |access-date=25 February 2013}}{{cite news |last=Marshall |first=Ian |title=Victory in Belo Horizonte, Now Success for Kan Yo in Santiago |url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=11623 |publisher=ITTF |date=22 April 2007 |access-date=25 February 2013}} As of December 2012, Kan is ranked no. 99 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).{{cite web |title=ITTF World Ranking – Yo Kan |url=http://www.ittf.com/ittf_ranking/world_ranking_per_name.asp?Player_ID=111609 |publisher=ITTF |access-date=25 February 2013}} Kan is a member of the table tennis team for Tokyo Art Club in Tokyo, Japan, and is coached and trained by Ryo Yuzawa.{{cite web |title=ITTF World Player Profile – Yo Kan |url=http://www.ittf.com/biography/biography_web_details.asp?Player_ID=111609 |publisher=ITTF |access-date=25 February 2013}} Kan is also right-handed, and uses offensive, penhold grip.

Representing his adopted nation Japan, Kan qualified for the men's singles at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, by earning an entry score of 12,000.75 points, and being selected as one of the top 15 seeded players from ITTF's Computer Team Ranking List.{{cite web |title=ITTF World Rankings – Men's Singles (Beijing 2008) |url=http://www.ittf.com/World_Events/Olympic_games_2008/2008_Direct_QUALIFIERS_2.pdf |publisher=ITTF |access-date=25 February 2013}} He received three byes in the preliminary rounds, before defeating Russia's Alexei Smirnov in the fourth match. Kan progressed to the round of sixteen match, where he lost to Chinese table tennis player and Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao, with a set-score of 1–4.{{cite web |title=Men's Singles Fourth Round |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/tabletennis/resultsandschedules/rsc=TTM001401/index.html |publisher=NBC Olympics |access-date=25 February 2013}}

Kan also joined with his fellow players Seiya Kishikawa and Jun Mizutani for the inaugural men's team event. He and his team progressed to the knock-out stage by winning the preliminary pool round against Hong Kong, Nigeria, and Russia, with a total of six points and three straight victories. They lost the semi-final match to the German team (led by Dimitrij Ovtcharov), with a sudden death set score of 2–3, but offered another shot for the bronze medal by entering the play-offs.{{cite web |title=Men's Team Semifinal 2 |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/tabletennis/resultsandschedules/rsc=TTM400202/index.html |publisher=NBC Olympics |access-date=25 February 2013}} Kan and his team, however, were defeated in the second play-off by the Austrian trio Chen Weixing, Robert Gardos, and former world champion Werner Schlager, with a set score of 1–3.{{cite web |title=Men's Team Bronze Play-off Round 2 |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/tabletennis/resultsandschedules/rsc=TTM400204/index.html |publisher=NBC Olympics |access-date=25 February 2013}}{{cite news |title=China wins women's team competition |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/tabletennis/news/newsid=227244.html |agency=Associated Press |publisher=NBC Olympics |date=17 August 2008 |access-date=25 February 2013}}