Ai Ōtomo

Ai Akimoto (秋本 愛, Akimoto Ai; née Ōtomo (大友); born March 24, 1982) is a Japanese retired volleyball player. She competed at the 2004 and 2012 Summer Olympics.

Ai Ōtomo
Ōtomo in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Ai Ōtomo
Nickname	You
Born	(1982-03-24) March 24, 1982 (age 43) Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
Height	184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)[1]
Spike	312 cm (123 in)
Block	305 cm (120 in)
Volleyball information
Position	Middle Blocker
National team
Japan
Medal record Women's volleyball Representing  Japan Olympic Games 2012 London Team World Championship 2010 Japan Team World Grand Champions Cup 2001 Japan Team

Career

Ōtomo competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, wearing the number #13 jersey. She took fifth place with the Japan women's national team. She played as a middle-blocker.

In 2008, Hisamitsu Springs announced that Ōtomo would return to active duty.

In 2009, Ōtomo played for JT Marvelous.

In September 2011, due to a right knee injury, Japan Volleyball Association announced that Ōtomo would not play in the World Cup.^[2]

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Ōtomo was part of the Japanese team that won the bronze medal in indoor women's volleyball.

In April 2013 JT Marvelous announced Ōtomo's retirement.^[3]

Personal life

On January 16, 2006, Ōtomo, who was two months pregnant at the time, married Tatsuo Yamamoto, a professional beach volleyball player. The two divorced in March 2012.

On August 8, 2013, Ōtomo married Hiroyuki Akimoto, who is a Judoka.^[4] The couple has four children; her eldest daughter (daughter of Yamamoto), Miku Akimoto, is also a professional volleyball player.^[5][6]

Clubs

• SendaiIkuei High School
• NEC Red Rockets (2000–2006)
• Hisamitsu Springs (2008–2009)
• JT Marvelous (2009–2013)

Awards

Individual

• 1999 Asian Youth Championship – Best server award
• 2000 Asian Junior Championship – Server award
• 2001 2000–01 V.Premier League – New face award
• 2002 51st Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Championship – Best6
• 2005 54th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Championship – Best6
• 2009 58th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament – Best6
• 2010 2009–10 V.Premier League – Best 6
• 2010 59th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament – Best6
• 2011 2010–11 V.Premier League – Best 6
• 2011 60th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament – MVP, Best6
• 2013 62nd Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament – Best 6

Team

• 2001 Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Championship – Champion, with NEC Red Rockets
• 2002 8th V.League – Runner-Up, with NEC Red Rockets
• 2003 9th V.League – Champion, with NEC Red Rockets
• 2004 10th V.League – Champion, with NEC Red Rockets
• 2008–09 V.Premier League – Runner-Up, with Hisamitsu Springs
• 2009 58th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament – Runner-Up, with Hisamistu Springa
• 2009–10 V.Premier League – Runner-Up, with JT Marvelous
• 2010 59th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament – Runner-Up, with JT Marvelous
• 2010–11 V.Premier League – Champion, with JT Marvelous
• 2011 60th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament – Champion, with JT Marvelous

National team

Senior team

• 2002 World Championship – 13th place
• 2004 Summer Olympics – 5th place
• 2010 World Championship – Bronze medal
• 2011 Montreux Volley Masters – Champion
• 2012: Bronze Medal in the Olympic Games of London

Junior team

• 2000 World Youth Championship – Champion