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]

Hiroe Yuki
Personal information
CountryJapan
Born(1948-11-15)15 November 1948
Died7 September 2011(2011-09-07) (aged 62)
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Japan
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1977 Malmö Women's singles
World Cup
Silver medal – second place 1979 Tokyo Women's singles
Silver medal – second place 1980 Kyoto Women's singles
Uber Cup
Gold medal – first place 1966 Wellington Women's team
Gold medal – first place 1969 Tokyo Women's team
Gold medal – first place 1972 Tokyo Women's team
Gold medal – first place 1978 Auckland Women's team
Gold medal – first place 1981 Tokyo Women's team
Silver medal – second place 1975 Jakarta Women's team
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1970 Bangkok Women's singles
Gold medal – first place 1970 Bangkok Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 1974 Tehran Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1974 Tehran Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 1978 Bangkok Women's team

Career

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Yuki was among the most notable of a cadre of fine players who helped Japan to win five of the six Uber Cup (women's world team) competitions held between 1966 and 1981.[2] 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.[3] At the 1972 Olympics, she won a bronze medal in Women's singles, when badminton was played as a demonstration sport. In the latter part of her career she earned a women's singles bronze medal at the first IBF World Championships in 1977. Yuki overcame an Achilles tendon rupture early in her career to compile her impressive record.[4]

Personal life

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In 1986, she married Kenji Niinuma, a Japanese popular enka singer, and together they later had two children, a son and a daughter. In 2002, Yuki was inducted into the World Badminton Hall of Fame.

Achievements

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Olympic Games (demonstration)

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Women's singles
Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1972 Munich, West Germany   Utami Dewi 5–11, 9–11   Bronze

World Championships

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Women's singles
Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1977 Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden   Gillian Gilks 4–11, 7–11   Bronze

World Cup

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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

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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

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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 Canadian 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 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 Canadian Open   Noriko Takagi   Etsuko Takenaka
  Machiko Aizawa
Walkover   Winner
1971 Denmark Open   Noriko Takagi   Etsuko Takenaka
  Machiko Aizawa
15–10, 15–3   Winner
1972 Denmark Open   Noriko Nakayama   Etsuko Takenaka
  Machiko Aizawa
15–11, 11–15, 17–15   Winner

Invitational tournament

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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

References

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  1. ^ "HIROE YUKI". bwfmuseum.isida.pro. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  2. ^ Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlative Ltd., 1983) 133-136.
  3. ^ Pat Davis, Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. 1983), pp. 106, 108.
  4. ^ Herbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J.A. Jennings Ltd., 1971), pg. 220