Ayuka Suzuki

Ayuka Suzuki (鈴木歩佳, Suzuki Ayuka; born 27 September 1999) is a Japanese group rhythmic gymnast. She is a 2019 World group all-around silver and the 2017 World group all-around bronze medalist. She represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Ayuka Suzuki
Born	(1999-09-27) 27 September 1999 (age 25) Anpachi, Gifu, Japan
Height	163 cm (5 ft 4 in)
Gymnastics career
Discipline	Rhythmic gymnastics
Country represented	Japan (2017–present)
Club	Okagi Kyoritsu Bank Gymnastics Club
Head coach(es)	Yukari Murata
Medal record Group rhythmic gymnastics Representing  Japan World Championships 2019 Baku 5 Balls 2017 Pesaro 3 Ropes + 2 Balls 2018 Sofia 5 Hoops 2019 Baku Group All-around 2019 Baku 3 Hoops + 4 Clubs 2017 Pesaro Group All-around 2021 Kitakyushu 5 Balls 2021 Kitakyushu 3 Hoops + 4 Clubs Asian Championships 2017 Astana 5 Hoops 2017 Astana 3 Balls + 2 Ropes 2017 Astana Group All-around 2019 Pattaya Group All-around 2019 Pattaya 5 Balls 2022 Pattaya Group All-around 2022 Pattaya 3 Ribbons + 2 Balls 2023 Manila Group All-around 2023 Manila 5 Hoops 2019 Pattaya 3 Hoops + 4 Clubs 2022 Pattaya Team 2022 Pattaya 5 Hoops

Career

Suzuki began rhythmic gymnastics when she was five years old.^[1]

Suzuki joined Japanese national group in 2017 and won a bronze medal in the group all-around at the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro, Italy together with Mao Kunii, Rie Matsubara, Sayuri Sugimoto, Nanami Takenaka and Kiko Yokota.^[2] They also won a silver medal in the 3 Ropes + 2 Balls final the next day.^[3] At the 2018 Minsk World Challenge Cup, Suzuki helped the group win the all-around bronze medal. Japan then won the gold medal in the 3 balls and 2 ropes final.^[4] Then at the Kazan World Challenge Cup, they won the bronze medal in the 3 balls and 2 ropes final.^[5] At the 2018 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, they finished fifth in the all-around and won the silver medal in the 5 balls final behind Bulgaria.^[6]

On 16–22 September, Suzuki and her teammates competed at the 2019 World Championships, her third. They won the silver medals in the group all-around and in the 3 hoops and 4 clubs final, and they won gold in the 5 balls final. This was Japan's first ever gold medal in a group event at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. Additionally, they matched Japan's best-ever group all-around result from 1975.^[7][8][9]

Suzuki represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics alongside Rie Matsubara, Sakura Noshitani, Sayuri Sugimoto, and Nanami Takenaka. They advanced into the group all-around final and finished eighth after major mistakes in their 3 hoops and 4 clubs routine.^[10] After the Olympic Games, she competed at the 2021 World Championships, where Japan won bronze medals in both event finals and placed fourth in the all-around.^[11]

Suzuki helped Japan win the gold medals in both the 5 hoops and 3 ribbons and 2 balls finals at the 2024 Baku World Cup.^[12] At the 2024 Asian Championships, they finished second in the all-around to Uzbekistan and missed the continental Olympic berth.^[13][14] They won the gold medal in the 5 hoops final and finished second to Uzbekistan again in the 3 ribbons and 2 balls final.^[15]

Personal life

Suzuki is studying at Nippon Sport Science University in Setagaya, Japan.^[16]