Noriko Nakayama

is a Japanese former badminton player, the first true international badminton star from that nation, who won numerous Japanese national and major international titles from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s.

Nakayama claimed seven of these at the Danish Open, two in singles and five in women's doubles. She was the champion at World Invitational Championships held in Glasgow, in 1969 in Women's doubles category with Hiroe Amano. At the prestigious All-England Championships she shared the women's doubles title with her compatriot and singles rival Hiroe Yuki in 1971, and won the singles title over Yuki in 1972, having previously lost twice in the finals. She also won the women's singles event at the Olympic Games Demonstration in 1972. In four successive Uber Cup (women's international team) competitions, between 1965 and 1975 she was unbeaten in singles, thus leading the way to three world team titles for Japan. With the birth of her eldest daughter, she hung her racket in 1975. As of 2017, she is still actively associated with the sport, coaching at the local level.

Honours and awards Asahi: Sports Award with the Uber Cup team (1966). Asahi: Sports Award with the Uber Cup team (1969).

Achievements Olympic Games (demonstration) Women's singles

Asian Games Women's singles YearVenueOpponentScoreResult 1966 Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Sumol Chanklum 11–0, 11–4 Gold Gold

Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1966 Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Kazuko Goto Retno Kustijah Minarni 5–15, 11–15 Bronze Bronze

International tournaments Women's singles YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult 1967 All England Open Judy Hashman 11–5, 8–11, 10–12 Runner-up 1967 Denmark Open Imre Rietveld 11–5, 11–3 Winner 1968 Singapore Open Hiroe Yuki 11–7, 10–12, 11–4 Winner 1968 Denmark Open Eva Twedberg 9–12, 12–9, 10–12 Runner-up 1969 All England Open Hiroe Yuki 5–11, 5–11 Runner-up 1969 Denmark Open Hiroe Yuki 10–12, 2–11 Runner-up 1971 U. S. Open Hiroe Yuki 11–5, 11–9 Winner 1971 Canadian Open Hiroe Yuki 9–12, 0–11 Runner-up 1971 Denmark Open Hiroe Yuki 11–7, 11–7 Winner 1972 All England Open Hiroe Yuki 11–5, 3–11, 11–7 Winner 1972 Denmark Open Eva Twedberg 4–11, 6–11 Runner-up

Women's doubles YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult 1967 Singapore Open Hiroe Amano Minarni Retno Kustijah 6–15, 13–18 Runner-up 1967 Denmark Open Hiroe Amano Imre Rietveld Ulla Strand 15–12, 9–15, 15–8 Winner 1968 All England Open Hiroe Amano Minarni Retno Kustijah 5–15, 6–15 Runner-up 1968 Malaysia Open Hiroe Yuki Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 11–15, 10–15 Runner-up 1968 Singapore Open Hiroe Yuki Rosalind Singha Ang Eva Twedberg 15–6, 15–11 Winner 1968 Denmark Open Hiroe Amano Karin Jørgensen Ulla Strand 15–11, 15–11 Winner 1969 Denmark Open Hiroe Yuki Hiroe Amano Tomoko Takahashi 15–9, 15–9 Winner 1970 Denmark Open Hiroe Amano Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 17–15, 12–15, 9–15 Runner-up 1971 All England Open Hiroe Yuki Gillian Gilks Judy Hashman 15–10, 18–13 Winner 1971 U. S. Open Hiroe Yuki Ethel Marshall Dorothy O'Neil 15–8, 15–2 Winner 1971 Canadian Open Hiroe Yuki Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka Walkover Winner 1971 Denmark Open Hiroe Yuki Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 15–10, 15–3 Winner 1972 Denmark Open Hiroe Yuki Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 15–11, 11–15, 17–15 Winner

Mixed doubles YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult 1968 Singapore Open Svend Andersen Sangob Rattanusorn Pachara Pattabongse 15–8, 15–11 Winner