Sae Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本冴, Hepburn: Yamamoto Sae, born 2 May 2001) is a Japanese curler. She currently plays second on the Hokkaido Bank curling team skipped by Miku Nihira. In 2022, she medaled gold at the World Junior Curling Championships as the skip for the Japanese team.

Sae Yamamoto
Born (2001-05-02) 2 May 2001 (age 23)
Team
Curling clubHokkaido Bank, Sapporo
SkipMiku Nihira
FourthMomoha Tabata
SecondSae Yamamoto
LeadMikoto Nakajima
AlternateAyami Ito
Curling career
Member Association Japan
Medal record
Curling
Representing  Japan
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Jönköping
Representing Hokkaido
Japan Curling Championships
Silver medal – second place 2024 Sapporo

Early life and education

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Yamamoto was born in Saku, Nagano. She graduated from Saku Municipal Asashina Junior High School [ja] and Nagano Prefecture Nozawa Kita High School [ja], and currently attends Japan Women's University.[1]

She began curling in fourth grade through the SWAN Project, which was held in Nagano to train Winter Olympic medalists.[2]

Career

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In November 2015, Yamamoto was the runner up in the Japan Junior Curling Championship.[3]

At the Japan Curling Championships in February 2016, although she advanced to the playoffs in 3rd place, Yamamoto ultimately placed 4th. She competed in the World Junior Curling Championships the next month in replacement of Miyu Ueno who was absent because of her high school entrance exams; Yamamoto placed tenth.

In May 2016, she joined the Karuizawa Fire Bomber as a first-generation student of the Curling Elite Academy opened by Sports Community Karuizawa Club [ja].[4][5] In August 2019, Karuizawa Fire Bomber disbanded after the JCA Jr. training camp.[6]

In May 2022, Yamamoto won the first Japanese gold medal for the World Junior Curling Championship.

Yamamoto joined the Hokkaido Bank Women's Curling Club in November 2022.[7]

Teams

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Season Skip Third Second Lead Alternate
2015–16 Seina Nakajima Minori Suzuki Ami Enami Sae Yamamoto
Fumino Tsuchiya Yuumi Suzuki Yui Ueno Asuka Kanai Sae Yamamoto
2016–17 Ami Enami (Fourth) Minori Suzuki Sae Yamamoto (Skip) Mone Ryokawa
2018–19 Ami Enami (Fourth) Minori Suzuki Sae Yamamoto Mone Ryokawa (Skip) Asuka Kanai
2019–20 Minori Suzuki (Fourth) Eri Ogihara Yui Ueno Sae Yamamoto (Skip) Miyu Ueno
2020–21 Miyu Ueno (Fourth) Eri Ogihara Yui Ueno Sae Yamamoto (Skip)
2021–22 Miyu Ueno (Fourth) Eri Ogihara Yui Ueno Sae Yamamoto (Skip) Asuka Kanai
Yuina Miura [ja]
2022–23 Miyu Ueno (Fourth) Sae Yamamoto (Skip) Suzune Yasui Moeka Iwase Mizuki Hara
Momoha Tabata Miku Nihira [ja] Mikoto Nakajima [ja] Sae Yamamoto Ayami Ito
2023–24 Momoha Tabata Miku Nihira Sae Yamamoto Mikoto Nakajima Ayami Ito
2024–25 Momoha Tabata (Fourth) Miku Nihira (Skip) Sae Yamamoto Mikoto Nakajima Ayami Ito

References

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  1. ^ JOC - FISU冬季ワールドユニバーシティゲームズ(2023/レークプラシッド)TEAM JAPANの認定及び主将・旗手の決定について [JOC - FISU Winter World University Games (2023/Lake Placid) TEAM JAPAN Certification and Selection of Captains and Flag Bearers]. Japanese Olympic Committee (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  2. ^ 【学生インタビュー】家政学部通信教育課程生活芸術学科 3年 山本冴さん [[Student Interview] Ms. Sae Yamamoto, 3rd year, Department of Life Arts, Correspondence Course, Faculty of Home Economics]. Japan Women's University (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  3. ^ 日本ジュニア選手権 [Japan Junior Championship]. Japan Curling Association. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  4. ^ 世界で戦える選手育成へ ジュニア対象「カーリングエリートアカデミー」開校 [Opened "Curling Elite Academy" for her juniors to develop athletes who can compete on the world stage]. Karuizawa Web (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  5. ^ お知らせ | TEAM DAITO - 大東建託 未来のアスリート支援プロジェクト [News | TEAM DAITO - Daito Trust Future Athlete Support Project]. Team Daito. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  6. ^ Team Karuizawa [@tkaruizawa] (20 August 2019). ファイヤーボンバーはJCA Jr.合宿を最後に解散します。これまで応援ありがとうございました。これからはそれぞれがアカデミーのチームで頑張っていきます。 [Fire Bomber will disband at the end of the JCA Jr. training camp. Thank you for your support until now. From now on, each one will do their best in the academy team.] (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 July 2023 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ 北海道銀行リラーズへの新選手加入について [About new player participation to Hokkaido Bank Lilers] (PDF). Hokkaido Bank. 17 November 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.