Aya Ohori’s Journey from Badminton Prodigy to Overcoming Setbacks and Making a Comeback

“Although retirement crossed my mind at one point, with the support of my new coach and family, I have reached the stage of my dream after ten years.”

“It’s been a really, really long 10 years since I graduated from high school. I’m finally standing on the stage I dreamed of. There’s anxiety and nervousness, but the excitement is the biggest feeling.”

 

Aya Ohori, 27, who secured a spot as Japan’s representative in women’s singles badminton for the Paris Olympics, spoke reflectively.

 

In recent years, Japanese badminton has made remarkable progress. With medal contenders in each event, the two spots for women’s singles representation were fiercely contested until the end. Aya Ohori, who had long been in the third spot, secured the remaining place by surpassing Nozomi Okuhara (29), the bronze medalist from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, following the ace player Akane Yamaguchi (27). 

 

“When I received the confirmation, I couldn’t honestly believe it. Competing in the Olympics was my ultimate career goal. I was surprised by the hundreds of congratulatory messages I received. But until the representative announcement in May, I kept wondering if there was some kind of catch.” (Ohori)

 

Her greatest asset is her powerful smash delivered from her height of 169 cm. Along with her aggressive style, her well-defined features have garnered attention as a potential future heroine from a young age. During high school, she was featured in media such as “Lion’s Mirai☆Monster” (Fuji TV) and was celebrated as a “genius girl.” However, her popularity did not last long.

 

“Honestly, I was quite elated back then. I was happy to be in the spotlight. But I didn’t have the achievements to match that attention. After graduating from high school and joining a corporate team, when I couldn’t win, the media quickly lost interest (laughs). I want to tell my younger self that being in the spotlight despite not winning was because you were young.”

 

Now she can speak about it with a smile, but back then, she faced a significant challenge. 

“During the period when I couldn’t win, internal conflicts began to arise. As I got older, the attention I received faded, while my anxiety about results only grew stronger. I completely lost sight of myself.” (Ohori reflected)

In 2016, during her second year as a working adult, she sought a more challenging environment and became the first female player to join the prestigious men’s team at Tonami Transportation. She trained with the same rigorous regimen as the male players but faced her career’s biggest setback in 2021, at the age of 24.

“At the end of the previous year, I ended up with my worst result ever, a second-round loss at the All-Japan Championships. I was removed from the A team, and my participation in international tournaments was restricted. This dashed my dreams of competing in the Tokyo Olympics. I told those around me, ‘If I can find some satisfaction within this year, regardless of the outcome, that’s enough. I want to quit.’”

 

An encounter with destiny.

Aya Ohori’s favorite musician is Naoto Inti Raymi, and she always listens to his music before matches. In her free time, she enjoys watching YouTube videos, having watched all the content from actress Riisa Naka, whom she is a fan of. Off the court, she is just another young adult in her twenties.

Ohori’s passion for badminton had been waning, and she wanted to distance herself from the sport. However, a particular encounter proved to be a major turning point.

“The presence of Kaori Imabeppu, who became the national team coach in May 2023, was truly significant. Until then, I felt that my enthusiasm and that of my coach were out of sync. Despite being close, I didn’t consult with them and made all decisions on my own. But Imabeppu-san is more passionate about analysis than I am, and her feedback is precise. For the first time, things just clicked for me.” 

She made a return to the national team and, since last summer, has been tackling her challenges alongside Coach Imabeppu in a close partnership.

“To improve my stamina, which was a weakness, I practiced with training rackets that were nearly twice as heavy. I also revised how I handle shots from mid-court to the net to better utilize my strong smashes from the backcourt. Coach Imabeppu’s training involves a lot of repetitive drills, which are really hell (laughs). But even though these were aspects I had been avoiding, I can feel that I’m growing.”

The results came quickly. In October 2023, she won a bronze medal at the Asian Games and, in February of this year, defeated Nozomi Okuhara, who had been on a ten-match losing streak in international competitions.

Another key supporter for Ohori is her high school coach, who is now the head coach at Tonami Transportation: her father, Hitoshi. 

“My father is more sensitive to my condition than I am. During matches, he provides precise advice alongside Coach Imabeppu. At home, we hardly talk about badminton (laughs). Nevertheless, I trust him completely in this regard.

At the Paris Olympics, I want to show my gratitude to all those who have supported me by performing on the court. I will trust in what I have built up and stick to my aggressive style!”

With the support of many, Ohori has made a comeback and is now approaching a pivotal moment in her career.

From the July 26/August 2, 2024 issue of FRIDAY