America's Ping Pong Prodigy: The 16 Project

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  • čas přidán 13. 11. 2017
  • When Kanak Jha was 16, he became the youngest American Olympian participate in the Rio Games. Only a year later, he now is considered the top-ranked US Men’s Ping Pong Player. Looking to take that next step in his development and training, the California native recently moved to Grenzau, Germany. Far away from home and with few distractions from table tennis, Kanak looks to perfect his craft and join the company of the game's elite with his sites set on Tokyo 2020.
    Presented by Michelin.
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Komentáře • 836

  • @Liasos88
    @Liasos88 Před 6 lety +217

    4:00 0-5 down and wins 11-5, that's impressive.

  • @NitrosNeeded
    @NitrosNeeded Před 4 lety +37

    "I am excited for Tokyo 2020"
    Coronavirus: *i'ma stop you right there*

  • @IHATEJEREMYMOCK
    @IHATEJEREMYMOCK Před 6 lety +806

    Seems like a good kid.

    • @jeffchen8312
      @jeffchen8312 Před 6 lety

      What the hell that's exactly the thought that went through my head after watching this.

    • @adalsteinn5477
      @adalsteinn5477 Před 5 lety +25

      He's Indian he's gotta be a good kid otherwise his parents would kick his arse

    • @jockim123
      @jockim123 Před 4 lety

      he was recently arrested for starting a bar fight

    • @farmea633
      @farmea633 Před 4 lety +1

      FULL FORCE there is more than 2 usable grips.

    • @djlollers1850
      @djlollers1850 Před 4 lety

      @@farmea633 Shakehand and Penhold right? What he means is that he is not holding it with the shakehand grip well

  • @bigeve223
    @bigeve223 Před 6 lety +118

    I wish him the best and I will be cheering him on! Very dedicated and enthusiastic about his progression within his sport. Awesome to see people passionate about what they do!!

  • @002redu
    @002redu Před 6 lety +1592

    America's next ping pong prodigy since Forest Gump.

  • @Michael-eu4pf
    @Michael-eu4pf Před 6 lety +146

    Idk why but this video hit me deep, good stuff young buck. Keep doing your thing, it’s motivating

    • @abhishekjmadan
      @abhishekjmadan Před 6 lety +12

      Same man, he seems like a grateful self-aware kid.

  • @SirPhillyLeong
    @SirPhillyLeong Před 6 lety +1837

    Prodigy in America = Just makes the local High school team in China.

    • @MultiSync3V
      @MultiSync3V Před 6 lety +99

      No, his results at the World Cup this year definitely put him in a better category than that.

    • @dfang888
      @dfang888 Před 6 lety +133

      Might want to check the facts. Beyond domestic success, China has had multiple young world and olympic champions under the age of 16. Liu Guo Liang was practically a baby when he took the world by storm.

    • @KarunaJain
      @KarunaJain Před 6 lety +100

      You cannot compare USA kids with China. Have you been to a Chinese sports school? Or seen how the Chinese treat their athletes? Also they have a huge population of kids to train and only a few make it to the top. Most are left without an education and no future after decades of intense training. With very little infrastructure in USA for professional table tennis, it is hard for athletes living her to reach higher levels. And yet USA juniors are moving up the ladders. It's amazing how the dedication of the athletes, parents, coaches, clubs is moving the sport here in USA.

    • @freakychannel123
      @freakychannel123 Před 6 lety +17

      @dfang we talking about Olympics here. Liu Guo was 20 when he appeared in his first Olympics back in 1996 i think. This guy is 16, he got 4 year of head start and time to get better. name ONE Chinese Olympic champion under the age of 16 that you seem to know abt? stop spouting NONSENSE and speak FACT.

    • @freakychannel123
      @freakychannel123 Před 6 lety +10

      @iform yes Chinese table tennis is def competitive. no doubt abt it...that is pretty much the popular sport they are know for internationally so you would at least expect them to be good. but this guy is trash? you snorting something? guy's 16 and made it to Olympics beating multiple opponents along the way. da fuk you done? you trash for hatin bruh

  • @SHONSL
    @SHONSL Před 6 lety +3

    I love this documentary. Thank you for capturing this footage and compiling it in a personal fashion. Kudos.

  • @Twiddle_TV
    @Twiddle_TV Před 6 lety +4

    I have admired Kanak's progression in table tennis for a long time now. I'm very glad to hear that he is still working hard. I recently loved watching him on the world tour - he did very well against some of the worlds best. Keep it up man.

  • @KarunaJain
    @KarunaJain Před 6 lety +3

    Great video, very well made. Great job to all those involved at VICE in making this video. Great job Kanak! wish you all the best.

  • @thehonoreats
    @thehonoreats Před 6 lety +778

    So this is how I'm gonna start my morning huh. Watching a trailer for a ping pong documentary. Eh not bad for a Tuesday.

  • @TheWacoKid44
    @TheWacoKid44 Před 6 lety +34

    Keep doing your thing Kanak

  • @vittomusic23
    @vittomusic23 Před 6 lety +2

    Way to go. Great job on the video! Thumbsup

  • @ronitbhansali5862
    @ronitbhansali5862 Před 5 lety +2

    He seems so humble, i want this guy to make it.

  • @Aliyaaaa
    @Aliyaaaa Před 5 lety +5

    Omg I love him so much I am cheering for him! Especially after the math against ma long even if he lost. He is so precious

  • @mickeym0use857
    @mickeym0use857 Před 6 lety +1138

    Indian origin , represents USA , trains in Germany ....okay

    • @dinogaming4419
      @dinogaming4419 Před 6 lety +97

      His origin is really USA considering that is where he was born. Nationality has nothing to do with it.

    • @marginelouis6674
      @marginelouis6674 Před 6 lety +119

      If you are born in America you are American.

    • @AshutoshShelkeP
      @AshutoshShelkeP Před 5 lety +108

      margine louis only if you're successful.

    • @samarthkapuria
      @samarthkapuria Před 5 lety +17

      great logic there. This guy talking bout genes here

    • @scholarlycat6939
      @scholarlycat6939 Před 5 lety +3

      Fr though all our young athlete “prodigies” seem to have accents and didn’t really grow up or train in the US. Like Julian Green or Jonathan Amon on the national football team. They spent their youth playing overseas.

  • @wocogamer09
    @wocogamer09 Před 6 lety

    Love the passion man. Keep it up!

  • @MrDavidPartida
    @MrDavidPartida Před 6 lety

    Good luck young fella! You are making us all proud!!!

  • @supernova20
    @supernova20 Před 6 lety +1

    i'm 45 and train like this three times a week, have been since i was 40. i love this game! best of luck to him. i wish i had gotten started young like him. wow he has such loving and sweet parents. i hope he goes far.

    • @user-cx5sx9zz6l
      @user-cx5sx9zz6l Před 6 lety

      45?。。。ping pong is a good gymnasium for u

  • @sumeetsharma4283
    @sumeetsharma4283 Před 4 lety

    Very good Kanak. Keep the good work up. Liked your journey to this point. Congratulations to you n your parents.

  • @TriforceStudiosVideo
    @TriforceStudiosVideo Před 6 lety

    I've watched you for so LONG, its amazing to see you come from where Michael Landers was. Don't let the dream of Table Tennis distract you though, when you find, your passion through this sport, the fame will fade.

  • @4munitas
    @4munitas Před 6 lety +1

    very informative video, well done

  • @WeedSmoker69
    @WeedSmoker69 Před 4 lety +18

    Kanak, 18 now, just played against Ma Long (arguably the GOAT) in April 2019 at the world championship and kind of almost beat him. Kanak is already way better than any US player has ever become and i hope he breaks into the top 10.

    • @adrians3267
      @adrians3267 Před 4 lety +13

      He put up a good fight yes, but did not "almost beat him"

    • @yeagerist977
      @yeagerist977 Před 4 lety +2

      GenuineJokes “almost beat him” .... are you for real ?

    • @jackyhwang3361
      @jackyhwang3361 Před 4 lety

      Tf do you mean Ma long retired

    • @jackyhwang3361
      @jackyhwang3361 Před 4 lety +1

      Oldass Ma long still whooped him

    • @daverbook
      @daverbook Před 4 lety

      the way he's improving, it could happen.

  • @E3qgr
    @E3qgr Před 6 lety +2

    GO KANAK!!

  • @marktannertt
    @marktannertt Před 4 lety

    Great insight into the sport for players and non players alike - fantastic production and promotion of the sport, even two years on!

  • @souldy09
    @souldy09 Před 6 lety +20

    This is so great! So many people think ping pong is easy or it's not that intense. They ask me why I'm sweating after playing ping pong.....lol like did you not see me running and hitting the ball? It's intense. This kid seems like he'll go far. Best of luck in Tokyo!!

  • @bradrosser298
    @bradrosser298 Před 5 lety

    Wish this kid the best. He has talent and seems like a good kid

  • @ikaros21
    @ikaros21 Před 4 lety +3

    And now he is playing better than ever. I say top 30 around the world!

  • @vidyutharni6151
    @vidyutharni6151 Před 4 lety

    Go all the way! Keep it up!

  • @marleiserashford396
    @marleiserashford396 Před 4 lety

    Wow. Great talent. Keep reaching for your goals.

  • @MrFuchew
    @MrFuchew Před 6 lety +1

    wow what an amazing place he got to move to!

  • @val7957
    @val7957 Před 6 lety +51

    6:38 ask if there is time for homework lmao.

  • @amapparatistkwabena
    @amapparatistkwabena Před 6 lety

    Good luck, Kanak!

  • @carlospiso
    @carlospiso Před 5 lety

    Nice story, keep on pushing ! 👍

  • @TheMrFrontera
    @TheMrFrontera Před 5 lety

    That's pretty cool. Happy for him and I hope he does well in Tokyo. If i can bet on table tennis I'll be sure to take Kanak. Also think it's awesome that his parents are letting him follow his dream like that. When I was 16 my parents would never let me drop out of school to pursue a sport like table tennis

  • @dutchybag
    @dutchybag Před 6 lety

    great vid

  • @bobboberson2024
    @bobboberson2024 Před 6 lety

    Go Kanak!!

  • @marcusdiesel8288
    @marcusdiesel8288 Před 6 lety +1

    I belonged to a table tennis team in high school that was funded by a charity to build Olympian table tennis athletes. I am very grateful for that program as it allowed me to compete, expand, and enjoy the sport of table tennis. I was number 2 on the lineup only because the number one was a grandchild of a gold medalist Olympian and had the correct equipment and elite mentoring (although I could still win games against him). With my $30 paddle I have defeated many of worthy opponents but where I live the sport is not seen as such and thus I only get to play recreational opponents. I hope to move to New York someday and table tennis will be on the top of the agenda of things I can consider as a serious hobby. I would love to play an Olympian some day,

  • @treasuretim3
    @treasuretim3 Před 6 lety +328

    "The LeBron James of Ping Pong"
    "The Michael Jordan of Table Tennis"

    • @pmac139
      @pmac139 Před 6 lety +60

      Weird Al once said, "I'm really mediocre at ping pong. I'm like the Michael Jordan of baseball of ping pong." lmao

    • @grantsilveri6509
      @grantsilveri6509 Před 6 lety +3

      the forrest gump of ping pong

    • @Sammy58328
      @Sammy58328 Před 6 lety +4

      Tomokazu Harimoto of USA?

    • @hectorcarr3050
      @hectorcarr3050 Před 6 lety +2

      “The Joey Chestnut of Table Pong”

    • @HikoSeijuroXIII
      @HikoSeijuroXIII Před 5 lety +6

      Except Harimoto is infinitely more talented.

  • @tabletennisx3228
    @tabletennisx3228 Před 6 lety

    Go Kanak!!!

  • @sh6914
    @sh6914 Před 3 lety

    this guy is fantastic

  • @matthewramada922
    @matthewramada922 Před 5 lety +7

    His dad is so cute. I love when he wins and at 4:37 his dad runs up and his him so hard he looks like he's getting but by a truck.

  • @salmanhaleem4280
    @salmanhaleem4280 Před 4 lety

    Mashallah, what a nice young boy with huge talent, go win champ!

  • @Bilaal26
    @Bilaal26 Před 6 lety +43

    This kid was in my class I remember him always saying I have to go to different countries every other weekend, I’m
    Happy for him

    • @ImNotMaxArzt
      @ImNotMaxArzt Před 6 lety +13

      "This kid was in my class"... Weird calling someone your age "kid".

    • @Bilaal26
      @Bilaal26 Před 6 lety

      Max Arzt he was younger than me

    • @jonathonsmith8871
      @jonathonsmith8871 Před 6 lety +2

      Dino Might if he was younger then you how was he in your class?

    • @Bilaal26
      @Bilaal26 Před 6 lety +7

      Jonathon Smith we had an elective class together

    • @MontyGumby
      @MontyGumby Před 6 lety

      @Dino: Silicon Valley eh ?

  • @ShailjaPradhan
    @ShailjaPradhan Před 4 lety +2

    his dad was my dads friend when he had gone to america. his dad was really good but my dad is shocked how much he has trained his som.

    • @noahsd
      @noahsd Před 4 lety

      Oh wow that's cool to have that kind of connection to a kid like that

  • @noah7477
    @noah7477 Před 2 lety

    Kanak I will see you in the Olympics. Your games against Zhao Qihao, Wong Chun Ting, and most recently Ma Long show you have great potential. I know you will get ahead far in the Olympics if you try. Thank you for representing our country in this awesome sport.

  • @basketballhighlights2k255

    Anyone else think that the thumbnail makes it look like he's hitting the Milly rock? 😂

  • @drj7124
    @drj7124 Před 6 lety

    Now for skateboarding! I have seen videos on the trains in Tokyo advertising the skateboarding event in the 2020 Olympics.
    I wonder if any skateboarder will put that much effort into being an Olympian.

  • @jasonlove1380
    @jasonlove1380 Před 6 lety

    Good for him!

  • @TyRaff
    @TyRaff Před 6 lety +177

    Ping Pong is a brand, Table Tennis is a sport.

    • @ninorattaa7514
      @ninorattaa7514 Před 6 lety +43

      "LOVE IS TRASH, BITCHES NEED CASH" Ghandi

    • @MrInkblots
      @MrInkblots Před 6 lety +4

      A brand? A brand of what, sorry?

    • @themilkman123123123
      @themilkman123123123 Před 5 lety

      A brand of Ping Pong

    • @harnageaa
      @harnageaa Před 5 lety +1

      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_tennis
      Table tennis, also known as *ping-pong* , is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth across a table using small bats.

  • @xXilisminusXx
    @xXilisminusXx Před 6 lety

    table tennis is one of the most intense sports you'll ever watch

  • @Hazama91350
    @Hazama91350 Před 4 lety +1

    He never bow to defeat, truly inspring.

    • @Nyquiiist
      @Nyquiiist Před 4 lety

      Shut up.... inspiring my ass.

  • @Skily7777
    @Skily7777 Před 6 lety

    Grenzau! Awesome, I've even been there myself! That's a really nice place to have a training weekend at, even for "normal" people. :-)

  • @nruei
    @nruei Před 6 lety

    There's a typo in the description. Sights not sites.

  • @Daneohan
    @Daneohan Před 6 lety

    I think you meant 'sights' instead of 'sites' in the description

  • @saurabhthakur100
    @saurabhthakur100 Před 5 lety +8

    This guy is doing very well now, challenged MA Long at World Championship 2019. He definitely has exceptional skills.

  • @Philipp_mz
    @Philipp_mz Před 5 lety +1

    Now he plays in Mainz 05

  • @ciscoshootsttv
    @ciscoshootsttv Před 6 lety

    That kid made history

  • @Rorschak129
    @Rorschak129 Před 4 lety

    This guy is real good . Saw match earlier with Chinese opponent and this guy was leading the scores with impressive skills.

  • @trentonulrick8263
    @trentonulrick8263 Před 6 lety

    I went to a Nike baseball camp and we would be on the field 6-7 hours a day. We later would get the 10-15 guys and play wiffleball. It was perfect, the back had a wall and the foul line was the stairs coming up to our dorms, the stair rail was yellow at the very bottom. We played and actually kept score with HRS,Batting Avg, and ERA. I remember hitting a walk-off that went on to the roof (never came back) and it's a weird feeling of accomplishment since you're not actually playing baseball but still feels just as good.

  • @VARMOT123
    @VARMOT123 Před 4 lety +1

    At 19, he is world number 22 now

  • @ali92ahmad
    @ali92ahmad Před 6 lety

    what's the background music between 0:45 and 2:03?

  • @diogoyou123
    @diogoyou123 Před 5 lety +2

    It's funny how the whole purpose of this video is to introduce TT in a more sportish manner and the title is regarding it as Ping Pong

  • @alirezamoradi3258
    @alirezamoradi3258 Před 6 lety

    the iranian ping pong player was Nooshad Alamian

  • @z0mbiezak
    @z0mbiezak Před 4 lety +2

    seeing vice use a title to reference table tennis as "ping pong"
    WeirdChamp

  • @yusijak8392
    @yusijak8392 Před 6 lety

    멋진 영상!

  • @ethan-se6yq
    @ethan-se6yq Před 6 lety +16

    2:38 T H I C C

  • @maxtunenick510
    @maxtunenick510 Před 5 lety +1

    'K. Jha' reminds me of that radio station in GTA

  • @praveenwadhwani8397
    @praveenwadhwani8397 Před 4 lety +25

    Anyone here in October 2019??

  • @dani414n9
    @dani414n9 Před 4 lety

    What you see: Vice sport
    What i see: WII SPORTS!!!

  • @ryansean4969
    @ryansean4969 Před 4 lety +1

    Randy Daytona Americas first prodigy💪

  • @R4ngeR4pidz
    @R4ngeR4pidz Před 5 lety

    and then he even played versus ma long and put up a good fight, this kid's going places

  • @mallythelegend8585
    @mallythelegend8585 Před 4 lety

    Table tennis!!

  • @bricegriffin6038
    @bricegriffin6038 Před 6 lety

    His grunts 😂

  • @FranzenFx
    @FranzenFx Před 4 lety +6

    0:15 just close your eyes and lets your imagination flow thru you

  • @pranavvangari1580
    @pranavvangari1580 Před 4 lety

    I don't know why I keep watching this

  • @wubbulubbadubdub1033
    @wubbulubbadubdub1033 Před 6 lety

    I have this guys autograph, he trained at the same place as me.

  • @SteveEpic1212123
    @SteveEpic1212123 Před 6 lety

    Good kid. Hope he wins gold one day

  • @willh1234
    @willh1234 Před 5 lety +1

    To all those making fun of him when this came out in 2017: he's now ranked 49th in world, despite being only 18 years old. And right before his birthday, he was the #1 U18 player in the world.

  • @lukaivanisevic5212
    @lukaivanisevic5212 Před 5 lety +1

    2:42 is that guy from x+y movie

  • @uchihahikaku1630
    @uchihahikaku1630 Před 6 lety

    Standing tall at 4ft 6 haha that was the funniest shit.

  • @jnr2187
    @jnr2187 Před 9 měsíci

    Congratulations young player

  • @homeoftabletennis6211
    @homeoftabletennis6211 Před 5 lety

    I'm use to those types of rallies

  • @GrungeRockGod
    @GrungeRockGod Před 6 lety +7

    No discotech!!?? im out boys

  • @carlosmejia5752
    @carlosmejia5752 Před 4 lety +4

    2:55 Is it me or the ball bounced on his side??

    • @onepumpman6209
      @onepumpman6209 Před 4 lety

      yeah it did but thats normal when practicing that hard

  • @ppietri1
    @ppietri1 Před 4 lety +24

    Are you familiar with these channels:
    1) TableTennisDaily
    2) Pongfinity
    3) Adam Bobrow
    If you have, that’s probably the reason you’re into table tennis.
    Am I wrong.

    • @Bibhor4
      @Bibhor4 Před 4 lety

      Pedro Pietri Yeah I am aware, but I also started playing TT 21 years ago. I was into table tennis from the very first day of playing it. No youtube back then.

    • @Sudzy06
      @Sudzy06 Před 4 lety

      I know all 3

    • @Hello-hf5ed
      @Hello-hf5ed Před 4 lety

      I know all 3

  • @nartworks557
    @nartworks557 Před 4 lety +1

    3:31 did I hear that right because I don’t think an 11 year old would be 4’6, now he doesn’t look very short i imagine the kid is around 5’10ish taller or a bit shorter so I don’t know how you grow more than feet form being 11, by the time I was turning 12 I was 5’5 and quite average in my school

  • @babygoat6141
    @babygoat6141 Před 6 lety

    Ping pong seem like a lit sport now

  • @danielhowes453
    @danielhowes453 Před 5 lety

    For everyone talking shit about this kid and saying he’s bad, he’s currently ranked #1 in the WORLD for U18s and won the bronze medal at the youth Olympic Games

  • @RyanWalshGuitar
    @RyanWalshGuitar Před 4 lety +6

    This kid is the real deal. Go watch his World Championship match against Ma Long -- gave him a real run for his money. Excellent match!

  • @askjrvbjkrfbvhjbdjf
    @askjrvbjkrfbvhjbdjf Před 6 lety +100

    Best American "ping pong" player will always be Forest Gump.

  • @alexanderhoang244
    @alexanderhoang244 Před 4 lety

    Who’s here after he won Tokyo olympics

  • @drdestroy453
    @drdestroy453 Před 3 lety

    Check out harimoto, a teenager from japan in the top ten of the world

  • @johnsanders8102
    @johnsanders8102 Před 5 lety

    2.55 hits his own side of the table

  • @TranelHawkins
    @TranelHawkins Před 4 lety

    Proud American! Represent the US well!

  • @lipakpapa
    @lipakpapa Před 4 lety +5

    And we are struggling for Olympics Gold in India..

  • @MohitArya
    @MohitArya Před 5 lety +2

    Kanak a prodigy in TT? What's Harimoto then?

  • @z0uLess
    @z0uLess Před rokem +1

    that "some player from iran" is a prodigy

  • @johnsanders8102
    @johnsanders8102 Před 5 lety +1

    2:55 hits his own side of the table

    • @spyne.98
      @spyne.98 Před 4 lety

      Bonermaster Sanders try hitting at that pace

  • @S4nzenSek4i
    @S4nzenSek4i Před 5 lety +4

    Meanwhile Tomozaku is 14 and ranked world #3.