Hiroe Yuki
Japanese badminton player (born 1948)
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Hiroe Yuki (湯木 博恵, Yuki Hiroe) (15 November 1948 – 7 September 2011 in Tokyo) was a Japanese badminton player. She won numerous major international titles from the late 1960s to the late 1970s.[1] She is recognized as one of Japan's most successful badminton players, having won the women's singles title at the All England Open four times. In 2002, she became the first Japanese player to be inducted into the Badminton Hall of Fame.[2][3]
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| Born | 15 November 1948 Kaita, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 7 September 2011 (aged 62) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Badminton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handedness | Right | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Women's singles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BWF profile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Career
Yuki overcame an Achilles tendon rupture early in her career to compile her impressive record.[4]. She became a core member of the Japanese national team, helping the country win the Uber Cup five times between 1966 and 1981.[5] With the possible exception of Etsuko Toganoo she was Japan's most successful ever player at the prestigious All-England Championships winning four singles titles (1969, 1974, 1975, 1977) there, as well as a doubles title (1971) in partnership with her friendly rival Noriko Takagi.[6] Her 1969 singles victory and 1971 doubles victory cemented her legacy as the first Asian woman to claim these titles at the venerated Wembley Arena.[2]
At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where badminton was featured as a demonstration sport, Yuki won a bronze medal in the women's singles. Towards the end of her competitive career, she also earned a women's singles bronze medal at the inaugural IBF World Championships in 1977. She retired from competitive play in 1981.[7]
Personal life and death
Following her retirement, Yuki served as a coach for her alma mater, the Japan Women's College of Physical Education, and its affiliated Nikaido High School. She met the popular Japanese enka singer Kenji Niinuma after being invited to coach a badminton club in his hometown of Ofunato, Iwate. After five years of dating, the couple married in March 1986 and had one son and one daughter. She also serving as a strengthening committee member for the Nippon Badminton Association.[8][7]
In 2004, Yuki was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery. Although she recovered and continued to play badminton recreationally, she later developed lung cancer. She died at a hospital in Tokyo on 7 September 2011, at the age of 62.[9][10][2]
Achievements
Olympic Games (demonstration)
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Volleyballhalle, Munich, West Germany |  Utami Dewi |
5–11, 9–11 |  Bronze |
World Championships
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden |  Gillian Gilks |
4–11, 7–11 |  Bronze |
World Cup
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Tokyo, Japan |  Lene Køppen |
7–11, 6–11 |  Silver |
| 1980 | Kyoto, Japan | Lene Køppen |
4–11, 10–12 | Silver |
Asian Games
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand |  Thongkam Kingmanee |
12–9, 11–8 |  Gold |
| 1974 | Amjadieh Sport Complex, Tehran, Iran |  Oh Youn-han |
11–4, 11–2 | Bronze |
International tournaments
Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Singapore Open |  Noriko Takagi |
7–11, 12–10, 4–11 |  Runner-up |
| 1968 | Malaysia Open |  Eva Twedberg |
11–1, 11–6 |  Winner |
| 1969 | All England Open | Noriko Takagi |
11–5, 11–5 | Winner |
| 1969 | Denmark Open | Noriko Takagi |
12–10, 11–2 | Winner |
| 1971 | U. S. Open | Noriko Takagi |
5–11, 9–11 | Runner-up |
| 1971 | Canada Open | Noriko Takagi |
12–9, 11–0 | Winner |
| 1971 | Denmark Open | Noriko Takagi |
7–11, 7–11 | Runner-up |
| 1972 | All England Open | Noriko Nakayama |
5–11, 11–3, 7–11 | Runner-up |
| 1973 | Denmark Open | Imre Rietveld |
11–7, 11–6 | Winner |
| 1974 | All England Open | Gillian Gilks |
11–6, 12–11 | Winner |
| 1974 | Denmark Open | Lene Køppen |
11–4, 9–12, 12–9 | Winner |
| 1975 | All England Open | Gillian Gilks |
11–5, 11–9 | Winner |
| 1977 | All England Open | Lene Køppen |
7–11, 11–3, 11–7 | Winner |
| 1977 | Denmark Open |  Joke van Beusekom |
11–4, 11–8 | Winner |
| 1979 | Denmark Open | Lene Køppen |
8–11, 11–7, 2–11 | Runner-up |
| 1981 | German Open | Sally Leadbeater |
12–11, 11–9 | Winner |
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Malaysia Open |  Noriko Takagi |
Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka |
11–15, 10–15 | Runner-up |
| 1968 | Singapore Open | Noriko Takagi |
 Rosalind Singha Ang Eva Twedberg |
15–6, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1969 | Denmark Open | Noriko Takagi |
Hiroe Amano Tomoko Takahashi |
15–9, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1971 | All England Open | Noriko Takagi |
Gillian Gilks Judy Hashman |
15–10, 18–13 | Winner |
| 1971 | U. S. Open | Noriko Takagi |
Ethel Marshall Dorothy O'Neil |
15–8, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1971 | Canada Open | Noriko Takagi |
Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka |
Walkover | Winner |
| 1971 | Denmark Open | Noriko Takagi |
Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka |
15–10, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1972 | Denmark Open | Noriko Nakayama |
Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka |
15–11, 11–15, 17–15 | Winner |
Invitational tournament
Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 (Glasgow) | World Invitational Championships | Lene Køppen |
10–12, 11–6, 12–9 | Gold |
| 1975 | World Invitational Championships | Taty Sumirah |
11–8, 11–7 | Gold |
