Maharu Yoshimura and Kasumi Ishikawa won Japan's first mixed-doubles gold in 48 years on Saturday at the World Table Tennis Championships, while Tomokazu Harimoto became the youngest player to reach quarterfinals.
Yoshimura and Ishikawa, the runners-up last year, overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat Taiwan's Chen Chien-an and Cheng I-ching 8-11, 8-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-4, 11-9, 11-5.
"Unbelievable, we've prepared to win the gold having lost in the final last time out. We didn't give up until the last moment," said Ishikawa, who smashed home the championship point.