From last place to the Olympic stage: the resilient rise of Anna Ohmiya
In short: During the 2007 tournament, Anna Ohmiya's junior squad ended with a 1–5 record, placing last. Decades later, the Japanese curling standout would represent her nation at two Olympics and secure multiple national championships, proving that elite success is often built on the foundation of early setbacks.
Anna Ohmiya’s journey through elite curling is a testament to persistence and tactical evolution. Her international career began with a difficult debut at the 2007 Pacific Junior Curling Championships, where her team finished last. However, she quickly transitioned to the senior level, joining the reigning Japanese champions, Team Aomori, as an alternate for the 2007–08 season. This period marked the start of a highly successful tenure, including winning the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Japanese national championships. During this successful period, she also earned a silver medal at the 2007 Pacific Curling Championships. This early success helped her transition from a junior competitor to a vital component of Japan's top-tier squads.
Ohmiya’s versatility is evident in her shifting roles within championship squads. During the 2009–10 season, she moved up to play third for Team Aomori, helping the team qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. She later relocated to Hokkaido to join the top-ranked Ayumi Ogasawara Hokkaido Bank Fortius team. As a member of this squad, she secured further national titles in 2015 and 2021, and reached the final of the 2019 Masters—the first time an Asian team reached a Grand Slam final. Her leadership was instrumental during the 2019–20 season when she helped her team reach the Masters final. This achievement marked a historic milestone for Asian teams on the Grand Slam circuit.
Her career is defined by high-stakes competition across multiple decades. She has represented Japan at five World Women's Curling Championships and six Pacific-Asia Curling Championships, notably winning gold in the latter in 2021. With her upcoming appearance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Ohmiya continues to demonstrate the longevity required to remain at the pinnacle of international curling. Beyond her Olympic appearances, she has been a consistent force in the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships. Her gold medal victory in 2021 further highlights her enduring excellence on the continental stage.
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