Aya Ohori

2.1. Early Life and Education

Aya Ohori was born on October 2, 1996, in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Her involvement in badminton began at a young age, starting to play when she was six years old. Her father, Hitoshi Ohori, was a significant figure in her early development, having served as the director of the Fukushima Prefectural Tomioka High School badminton club. He later became the women's coach for the Tonami Transportation badminton team, where Aya would eventually play. Ohori received her early education at Tomioka Daiichi Junior High School and subsequently graduated from Fukushima Prefectural Tomioka High School. During her second year of high school in 2013, she achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first Japanese player to secure a gold medal in the girls' singles event at the Asian Youth U19 Open Championships.

2.2. Early Career and Affiliations

After completing her high school education, Aya Ohori advanced to a professional badminton career. In 2015, she joined NTT East, which was recognized as a strong badminton team in Japan. However, her affiliation with NTT East was relatively short-lived. In 2016, a controversy arose involving NTT East's men's team due to an illegal casino issue. This circumstance led to Ohori's transfer from NTT East to Tonami Transportation. The move was publicly announced on May 1, 2016. At Tonami Transportation, she continued her professional career, joining the badminton club where her father, Hitoshi Ohori, also held a coaching position.

2.3. Retirement

On November 8, 2024, Aya Ohori made a public announcement regarding her decision to retire from competitive badminton. Her retirement officially took effect on December 15, 2024, following her participation in the BWF World Tour Finals. Reflecting on her career, Ohori conveyed a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, stating that she felt "refreshed after giving it her all until the end" and was "really glad that I was able to retire in the best possible way." This statement underscored her contentment with her journey in the sport.

4.1. Junior Competitions

Ohori demonstrated considerable talent early in her career, securing multiple medals in prestigious junior tournaments.

4.2. Senior Singles Competitions

In her senior career, Ohori achieved notable success in international singles tournaments, including major events sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), and her participation in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on March 19, 2017, and implemented in 2018, is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.

Ohori participated in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, where she reached the quarterfinals, securing a Best 8 finish in the women's singles event.

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.

The BWF International Challenge/Series had two levels, the International Challenge and International Series.

4.3. Senior Team Competitions

Aya Ohori played a pivotal role in the success of the Japanese national badminton team, contributing to several medal-winning performances in major team competitions.