Saori Kondo

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Saori Kondo
Personal information
Born近藤 小織
(1956-03-18) 18 March 1956
Sport
CountryJapan
SportBadminton
EventWomen's singles & doubles
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Japan
World Cup
Bronze medal – third place1980 KyotoWomen's doubles
Uber Cup
Gold medal – first place1978 AucklandWomen's team
Gold medal – first place1981 TokyoWomen's team
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place1978 BangkokWomen's singles
Bronze medal – third place1978 BangkokWomen's team
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – third place1976 HyderabadWomen's singles

Saori Kondo (近藤 小織, Kondo Saori; born 18 March 1956) is a former badminton player who won Japanese national titles and excelled internationally in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Known for her quickness and determination, Kondo was runner-up in women's singles at the prestigious All-England Championships in both 1978 and 1979.[1] She performed exceptionally well for the Japanese Uber Cup (women's international) teams, which won consecutive world championships in 1978 and 1981.[2]

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Result Ref.
Asahi Sports Award 1978 Victory at the 1978 Uber Cup with the Japanese women's national team Won [3]
Asahi Sports Award 1981 Victory at the 1981 Uber Cup with the Japanese women's national team Won [3]

Achievements

World Cup

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1980 Kyoto, Japan Japan Mikiko Takada Indonesia Verawaty Fadjrin
Indonesia Imelda Wiguna
9–15, 15–11, 3–15 Bronze Bronze

Asian Games

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1978 Bangkok, Thailand China Liu Xia 5–11, 4–11 Bronze Bronze

Asian Championships

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1976 Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad,
India
China Liu Xia 4–11, 4–11 Bronze Bronze

International tournaments

Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1977 Japan Open Denmark Lene Køppen 10–12, 5–11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1978 All England Open England Gillian Gilks 1–11, 9–11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1979 All England Open Denmark Lene Køppen 9–13, 11–1, 8–11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1981 Denmark Open Denmark Lene Køppen 1–11, 2–11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up

References

  1. Lorne Wortman, "Only Lene is Able to Stop Indonesian Onslaught at John Player All England Championships," World Badminton, May 1979, 4.
  2. Pat Davis. The Gunness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1983) 136.
  3. "Asahi Sports Award (1975-1988)". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 22 June 2026. Retrieved 22 June 2026.