Naonobu Fujii
{{short description|Japanese volleyball player (1992–2023)}}
{{Infobox volleyball biography
| name = Naonobu Fujii
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Naonobu Fujii
| nickname = Nakkun
| nationality = Japanese
| birth_date = {{birth date|1992|01|05|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Miyagi, Japan
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|03|10|1992|01|05|mf=y}}
| death_place =
| height = 183 cm
| weight = 80 kg
| spike = 312 cm
| block = 297 cm
| college = Juntendo University
| position = Setter
| currentclub =
| currentnumber = Club #21
National Team #3
| years1 = 2014–2022
| team1 = Toray Arrows
| nationalyears1 = 2017–2021
| nationalteam1 = {{flagicon|JPN}} Japan
| medaltemplates-title = Medal record
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | Men's volleyball }}
{{MedalCountry | {{JPN}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | Japanese Championship}}
{{MedalGold | 2017 Gresik | Team}}
{{MedalSilver | 2021 Chiba/Funabashi | Team}}
{{MedalBronze | 2019 Tehran | Team}}| medaltemplates-expand = yes
}}
{{Nihongo|Naonobu Fujii|藤井 直伸|Fujii Naonobu|January 5, 1992 – March 10, 2023|lead=yes}} was a Japanese volleyball player,{{Cite news|url=https://volleymob.com/mens-grand-champions-cup-power-rankings/|title=Men's Grand Champions Cup Power Rankings|date=2017-09-11|work=VolleyMob|access-date=2018-06-23|language=en-US}} who was also a member of the Japan men's national volleyball team and of Toray Arrows.
Personal life
Naonobu Fujii grew up in Miyagi, Japan where he attended Furukawa Industrial High School, a school known for its volleyball team. Gaining an interest in the sport, he went on to play for Juntendo University.{{Cite web|url=http://www.toray-arrows.jp/men/team/member/n_fujii.html|title=#21 藤井 直伸 {{!}} 東レアローズ男子バレーボール部 {{!}} TORAY|website=www.toray-arrows.jp|language=ja|access-date=2018-06-23}} He enjoyed outdoor activities such as cycling in his free time.
His family home was swept away by the tsunami caused by the Tohoku earthquake. Due to the disaster, his father became unemployed, and Fujii nearly gave up his dream of playing volleyball but continued with his family's encouragement.{{Cite web |last=静岡新聞社 |title=五輪代表入りの東レセッター藤井、被災地の希望つなぐ 宮城・石巻出身 実家が被災｜あなたの静岡新聞 |url=https://www.at-s.com/news/article/shizuoka/918597.html |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=www.at-s.com |language=ja}}
In September 2021, Fujii announced that he had married Miya Sato, who was a setter of the Japan women's national volleyball team and Hitachi Rivale club.{{cite news |title=4月1日のプロポーズ「嘘じゃないよね？」藤井直伸＆佐藤美弥《バレー代表セッター同士の仲良し夫婦》が幸せを感じる意外な瞬間 |url=https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/850750 |access-date=22 November 2021 |work=number.bunshun.jp |publisher=number.bunshun |language = ja}}
On February 27, 2022, Fujii announced that he has been diagnosed with Stage IV Stomach Cancer, which had metastasized to his brain.{{cite news|url= https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/02/27/kiji/20220227s00070000479000c.html |title= バレー男子日本代表・藤井直伸、胃がんステージ4告白 目の不調で検査入院し判明「脳の方にも転移」 |newspaper= Sponichi Annex |publisher= スポーツニッポン新聞社 |date= 2022-02-27 |accessdate= 2022-02-27 |language = ja}}
Fujii died from stomach cancer on March 10, 2023, at the age of 31. JVA sent out their condolences to his family and the Japanese volleyball community mourned his loss.{{Cite web |title=【訃報】元男子日本代表 藤井直伸さん（31歳）逝去 |url=https://www.jva.or.jp/topics/20230312-2/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=公益財団法人日本バレーボール協会 |language=ja}}
Career
After college Fujii went on to join the Torray Arrows team as a setter. Starting in the 2016–17 season, he was selected for the Japan men's national volleyball team where he played as number 3. In 2021, he was one of the Japanese men's national team roster, which competed in 2020 Summer Olympics, and the team finished in 7th place after 29 years.{{cite news |title=第32回オリンピック競技大会（2020/東京） バレーボール男子日本代表チーム・龍神NIPPON 出場内定選手コメント |url=https://www.jva.or.jp/index.php/topics/20210621-3 |access-date=22 November 2021 |publisher=jva.or.jp |language = Japanese}}{{cite news |title=バレー男子 日本が29年ぶり決勝T進出 イラン降し3勝2敗 |url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20210801/k00/00m/050/139000c |access-date=22 November 2021 |publisher=mainichi.jp |language = Japanese}}
Awards
=Individual=
- 2017 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship- Best Setter{{Cite web|url=http://asianvolleyball.net/2017/08/japan-demolish-kazakhstan-3-1-in-final-showdown-to-capture-back-to-back-asian-title-2/?sf103411889=1|title=JAPAN DEMOLISH KAZAKHSTAN 3-1 IN FINAL SHOWDOWN TO CAPTURE BACK-TO-BACK ASIAN TITLE – Asian Volleyball Confederation – AVC|website=asianvolleyball.net|language=en-US|access-date=2018-06-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://volleymob.com/japan-edges-kazakhstan-claim-second-straight-asian-mens-title/|title=Japan Edges Kazakhstan to Claim Second Straight Asian Men's Title|date=2017-08-02|work=VolleyMob|access-date=2018-06-23|language=en-US}}
- 2023: V.League - Special award
= Club teams =
- 2016/2017 V.Premier League Men's – Best 6, with Torray Arrows
References
External links
- [http://worldleague.2017.fivb.com/en/group2/teams/jpn-japan/players/naonobu-fujii?id=57281 Player profile on 2017 World League Page]
- [http://www.toray-arrows.jp/men/team/member/n_fujii.html Player profile on Toray Arrows Page]
{{Japan men's volleyball team 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fujii, Naonobu}}
Category:Deaths from stomach cancer
Category:Japanese men's volleyball players
Category:Volleyball players from Miyagi Prefecture
Category:Juntendo University alumni
Category:Volleyball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic volleyball players for Japan
{{Japan-volleyball-bio-stub}}