Ayaka Kikuchi (speed skater)

Ayaka Kikuchi (菊池 彩花, Kikuchi Ayaka, born 28 June 1987) is a Japanese speed skater.

Ayaka Kikuchi
Kikuchi (right) at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Personal information
Born (1987-06-28) 28 June 1987 (age 37)
Japan
Sport
CountryJapan
SportSpeed skating
Medal record
Women's speed skating
Representing  Japan
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2018 Pyeongchang Team pursuit
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Heerenveen Team pursuit
Asian Championships
Silver medal – second place 2012 Astana Allround
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Harbin Allround

Biography

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Kikuchi won bronze at the 2011 Asian Speed Skating Championships and silver at the 2012 Asian Speed Skating Championships. With these results she qualified for the World Allround Speed Skating Championships in both 2011 (finished 22nd) and 2012 (finished 19th).

In the 2014 Winter Olympics Kikuchi participated in the 1500 meters, finishing 31st, and was part of the women's team pursuit, who finished fourth.

In 2015 Ayaka Kikuchi became a world champion, when in the 2015 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships she won the gold medal in the team pursuit where she participated together with the sisters Miho and Nana Takagi.

In 2018, Kikuchi was part of the Japanese team that won the Olympics women team pursuit gold medal.[1]

Personal records

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Distance Result Date Location
500 m 39.80 7 January 2012 Alau Ice Palace, Astana
1000 m 1:19.10 27 December 2011 Meiji Hokkaido-Tokachi Oval, Obihiro
1500 m 1:54.12 21 November 2015 Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City
3000 m 4:11.86 12 February 2011 Olympic Oval, Calgary
5000 m 7:13.69 18 February 2011 Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City

Honours

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Fielding, Gus (February 22, 2018), "Miho Takagi overjoyed after claiming coveted gold medal in team pursuit", The Japan Times, archived from the original on April 26, 2019, retrieved February 22, 2018