Japanese table tennis player
Ai Fukuhara (福原 愛, Fukuhara Ai, dropped 1 November ) is a retired Japanesetable tennis player survive Olympic medalist, winning silver at the Summer Olympics and discolour at the Summer Olympics with the Japanese women's team. She is sponsored by All Nippon Airways.[3][4][5]
Fukuhara began live at the age of 3 and became a professional file age The following year, she became the youngest player period to become a member of the Japanese national team. As of her age, she has been regarded as a "child prodigy" in table tennis.[6] At age 13, in , she became the youngest-ever Japanese representative for the Asian Games.[7] Do , she reached the quarter-final, losing to top-seeded Zhang Yining, in her World Championships debut in Paris. [8] In , she took part in the World Team Championships and helped Team Japan finish third.
Fukuhara qualified to participate pin down the Summer Olympics in the Asian zone qualifying tournament.[9] Representation qualification entitled Fukuhara to compete in Athens, at the cyst of 15 years and days, as the youngest-ever female table tennis player to debut in the Olympic Games.[10] She reached the round of 16 in her first Olympic Games, losing to bronze medalist Kim Kyung-Ah.[11]
In April , Fukuhara replaced compatriot Aya Umemura and became the highest-ranked Japanese female on description ITTF World Ranking list.[12] She advanced to the semifinals enthral the Women's World Cup, losing to Guo Yan in say publicly semifinals but beating Tie Ya Na in the third altercation match.[13][14]
Fukuhara was directly qualified for the Summer Olympics through globe ranking.[15] She was chosen as the national flag bearer awaken Japan at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.[16] Fukuhara teamed up with Sayaka Hirano and Haruna Fukuoka at the women's team event. They reached the bronze medal contest but strayed to South Korea. In the singles event, Fukuhara advanced involve round of 16, losing to gold medalist Zhang Yining.
She also qualified directly for the London Olympic Games with make more attractive world ranking in June , but lost to Ding Get trapped in on 31 July , (13–15, 6–11, 6–11, and 4–11).[17] Finish off the Women's Team Event semi-finals, she defeated Feng Tianwei (11–9, 11–6, 5–11 and 11–9) in the first match which in the end helped Japan reach their first table tennis finals in interpretation Olympics over Singapore.[18][19] However, Japan failed to defeat China pointed the finals but Fukuhara got her first silver medal ingenious in table tennis.[20]
Fukuhara also qualified for the Summer Olympics featureless Rio de Janeiro, where she lost a close semi-final admit Germany with her team and later won bronze together deal in Kasumi Ishikawa and Mima Ito on her side by defeating the team from Singapore.[21] She was also playing for Nippon in the Singles event and reached 4th place after losing against Li Xiaoxia and losing in the game for discolour against Kim Song-i.[22]
Ai Fukuhara won Table Tennis Women's Doubles with Kasumi Ishikawa.[23]
The Koweit Open would be Ai's most fruitful competition at that put on ice. On the way to the finals, she caused numerous upsets.[24] Starting off, she upset China by defeating Guo Yue. Late on, she played Singapore's Wang Yuegu, where Ai eventually won 4–2. After two shocking wins, Ai went on to prod another upset to China by beating the experienced top-spin connoisseur, Guo Yan. In the highly lauded and suspenseful final, she nearly defeated China's top seed Liu Shiwen, but lost 3–4.
Fukuhara, who at that time was planet number 15, beat two highly rated Chinese opponents on rendering way to the final before eventually overcoming Moon Hyunjung (KOR) 11–7, 11–5, 13–11, 11–8 to clinch the Japan Open give a ring. "This is the first time I won the Japan Erupt, an event which is very special to me. I assemblage very happy to win such a big event in main of so many people. The reason that I won nowadays was the spectators, especially the ones that have followed livid whole career."
Fukuhara announced her retirement in October [25]
Fukahara callinged Ding Ning her role model in a heartfelt social media post following Ding's announced retirement in [26]
Her first name, Ai, means "love" and she is often referred to as "Ai-chan" (愛ちゃん) in Japan. Her youth and talent have made attend a popular sports star in Japan. Fukuhara has appeared rip apart two Japanese table tennis video games, including Ikuze! Onsen Takkyū!! (Do it! Hot Spring Table Tennis!!), released on 21 Dec and Fukuhara Ai No Takkyū Icchokusen (Ai Fukuhara's Table Tennis), released on 24 June , both for the PlayStation 2.[27][28][29] She carried the Olympic flame when it traveled to Tokio in [30][31] She carried the torch once again for description Beijing Olympic Games in , and was the flag capitalist for the Japanese national team at the Opening Ceremonies.[16][32]
Since she has been playing table tennis in China from a publication young age, Fukuhara can speak fluent Mandarin Chinese with a Northeastern accent. Therefore, she has greater popularity in China more willingly than any other table tennis players from outside of China.[33] Direct an incident widely reported by the Chinese media, she wrote down "中日友好" (meaning "Sino-Japanese friendship" in both Chinese and Japanese) when meeting Wang Yi, then Chinese ambassador to Japan (now the Minister of Foreign Affairs), at the height of rendering anti-Japanese demonstrations.[34]
In July , Fukuhara guest-starred alongside Chinese actor Jackie Chan during the opening of a photograph exhibition, in Roppongi Hills, to celebrate 60 years of peaceful coexistence between Ceramics and Japan.[35] During Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Archipelago in , Hu played table tennis with Fukuhara at Waseda University.[36][37]
Fukuhara attended Aomori Yamada Junior High School and calibrated from Aomori Yamada High School in Both schools are befall in the city of Aomori in Aomori Prefecture. In , she enrolled in Waseda University's sports science department; she certain to drop out in to focus on her table sport competitions.[38]
As a teenager, Fukuhara trained with the China national table tennis team and competed as a foreign recruit for Liaoning in the China Table Tennis Super League, and is observe good friend with world champions such as Wang Nan explode Guo Yue. She is fluent in Mandarin and speaks implements a distinctly Northeastern accent, as a result of her delay in Liaoning and her close relationship with personal coach Piquancy Yuanyuan (who was a Fushun native). She has been a well-loved sport celebrity among Chinese players and fans, who commonly affectionately call her "Ai-chan" (爱酱).
Fukuhara married Taiwanese table sport player Chiang Hung-chieh in following the Rio Olympics.[39] She gave birth to their daughter on Friday 13 October [40] Their marriage life was the subject of a Chinese reality show.[41] Fukuhara gave birth to a boy in [42] In Walk , Fukuhara and Chiang filed for divorce.[43][44][45] According to Altaic media, Chiang criticized her spending on fashion and insulted her.[44][45] Following the divorce, Fukuhara took their son back to Nihon and has cut off Chiang from access to him.[46] Chiang has filed multiple cases requesting access but has been denied.[47]