TOKYO, Japan – Prior to the 2026 season, Cedric Kaufmann of Fresno Pacific men's tennis competed at the 2025 Deaflympics held in Tokyo, Japan in Fall 2025. After days of tough competition and thrilling challenges, the German student-athlete brought home the bronze medal in men's doubles. It was an incredible honor for the Sunbird, getting to honor his late grandfather's memory, represent for deaf student-athletes and showcase just what he could do on the global stage.
The Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics were held between November 15 to November 26 in 2025, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Deaflympics since it originally kicked off in 1924. The international multi-sport event included over 200 events and 18 sports with participation from up to 80 nations. Kaufmann represented Germany alongside his partner Ferdinand Breitenberger in men's doubles. The junior from Germany mentioned he had competed at that high level many times before, but this Deaflympics was something truly special.
"That wasn't the first time I've won a big medal. I went to the finals in the European championships, the World Deaf Tennis championships, and I've won the bronze medal in Brazil 2022. This time it was something special to me because my grandpa passed away like a month before," said Kaufmann, "so I promised myself I would play and win for myself and for him. It was a more emotional medal than the other times. My heart was beating, uh, very emotional. I was also crying a little bit. Yeah, my dad, my brother, they came over to Tokyo from Germany to support me. A lot of things were going through my head but I really just wanted that feeling again."
The Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium was an incredible court to play on, seating up to up 10,000 spectators. The junior Sunbird was thrilled to compete on such a big stage, mentioning, "It was the first time I played in a huge stadium and it was crazy because I felt like a professional tennis player. When I saw all the people cheering, my heart was beating and I was really excited."
Many thoughts can run through an athlete's mind during competition, and Cedric shared that his experience at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics was filled with the same emotions felt by competitors everywhere. He described the familiar nerves, the rush of excitement, and the immense pride of representing his country on the international stage as a deaf competitor.
"We prepare like the normal professionals. Same practices, same diets, same goals to win. The level may be different than the professional one, but we're rising up. The level is getting higher and higher. The misconceptions are annoying for us deaf people because a lot of people don't pay attention to us since you can't visibly see that we have a disability. We have to take our hearing devices off while we're playing, so for people in the crowd, it may look like we're just normal players on the court. But, we're professional in the way we prepare just like everyone else."
Over the last three years, Kaufmann has had a brilliant career at Fresno Pacific. He joined the Sunbirds in the 2023-2024 season, sparking his collegiate career and hasn't looked back since. He recently received national recognition in his 2026 season alongside his doubles partner Joaquin Salinas (#24), where they also came in fourth in the west regional rankings. Cedric emphasized that playing at the college level prepared him for the Deaflympics.
"There's more screaming, the team is cheering you on, and it's more emotional and intense. FPU taught me how to play on those levels and be mentally good. Many practices and my coach helped me a lot and got me in good shape. He helped me analyze the game and change tactics during the matches. I would say without FPU and the practices I think that I wouldn't get my second bronze medal because it taught me how to go through life, keep practicing, and stay in shape."
When news of Cedric's achievement streamed live on the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics channel, both Fresno Pacific tennis teams rallied in full support, cheering him on from afar. Opportunities to compete on such an elite international stage are rare, and seeing a Sunbird not only rise to the moment but also finish on the podium made the accomplishment even more special for the entire FPU community.
Head coach Sam Gaeddert proudly stated, "Cedric has shown a great level of discipline this past year with his training and conditioning programs. His efforts on the practice court and in the gym have really paid off for him on a world stage. I think I can speak for our entire men's program when I say that we are proud of him and can't wait to see what he will add to our team this spring."
To view the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Men's Doubles Results, CLICK HERE.
To view the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics youtube channel, CLICK HERE.
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