Ran Takahashi
{{Short description|Japanese volleyball player (born 2001)}}
{{Eastern name order|Takahashi Ran}}
{{Infobox volleyball biography
|name=Ran Takahashi
|image=Ran Takahashi (Legavolley 2021).jpg
|fullname=Ran Takahashi
|nickname=
|nationality=Japanese
|birth_date= {{Birth date and age|2001|9|2|df=y}}
|birth_place=Kyoto, Japan
|height={{Convert|188|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight={{Convert|84|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
|spike={{Convert|343|cm|in|abbr=on}}
|block={{convert|315|cm|in|abbr=on}}
|college= {{Flagicon|JPN}} Nippon Sport Science University
|currentclub = {{Flagicon|Japan}} Suntory Sunbirds
|position=Outside hitter
|currentnumber=12 (National)
13 (University)
12 (Club)
|club1= {{Flagicon|JPN}} {{ill|Higashiyama High School|ja|東山中学校・高等学校}}
|years1= 2017–2020
|years2= 2020–2024
|club2= {{Flagicon|JPN}} NSSU
|years3= 2021–2023
|club3= {{Flagicon|ITA}} Pallavolo Padova
|years4= 2023–2024
|club4= {{Flagicon|ITA}} Vero Volley Monza
|years5= 2024–2025
|club5= {{Flagicon|Japan}} Suntory Sunbirds
|nationalteam1= {{vb|JPN}}
|nationalteam2=
|nationalyears1= 2021–present
|nationalyears2=
| medaltemplates-expand = yes
| medaltemplates-title = Medal record
| updated = July, 2023
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's volleyball }}
{{MedalCountry | {{JPN}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|FIVB Nations League}}
{{MedalSilver|2024 Łódź|Team}}
{{MedalBronze|2023 Gdańsk|Team}}
{{MedalCompetition | Asian Championship}}
{{MedalGold | 2023 Urmia | Team}}
{{MedalSilver | 2021 Chiba/Funabashi | Team}}
|imagesize=|module={{Infobox YouTube personality|subbox=yes
| channel_handle = らんるい
| channel_display_name = RanRui
| years_active = 2021–present
| genre = Vlog
| subscribers = 321 thousand
| views = 16 million
| silver_button = y
| silver_year =
| stats_update = July 30, 2024
}}}}
{{jp|Ran Takahashi|髙橋 藍 or たかはしらん|Takahashi Ran|born 2 September 2001}} is a Japanese volleyball player and an Olympian. He currently plays as an Outside Hitter for Japan men's national volleyball team and Suntory Sunbirds, and previously for Pallavolo Padova and Vero Volley Monza in the Italian Volleyball League, as well as Nippon Sport Science University at collegiate level.{{cite web |title=NSSU volleyball club 選手・スタッフ -#20 髙橋藍 |url=http://nittai-vb.sakura.ne.jp/six/member/2166.html |website=nittai-vb.sakura.ne.jp/ |access-date=30 May 2021 |language=Japanese}}{{cite news |title=イタリア挑戦の高橋藍「スパイクの決定率を追求したい」チーム選択には石川から助言も |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/7ddf79d5b1368c1e250829d396d63ff7fcbb901f |access-date=14 January 2022 |publisher=news.yahoo.co.jp |language=ja}}
Biography
Ran Takahashi was born on 2 September 2001 in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. His mother is Japanese of part British and German descent, and his father is Japanese. Ran has one brother, Rui, who is one and a half year older, and one younger sister, Riri. He started playing volleyball following the footsteps of his brother. His sister also plays volleyball.{{cite news |title=龍神ニッポンの次世代エース・高橋藍「世界に行って、レベルの高いプレーを早く経験できたらいいな」 |url=https://hominis.media/category/athlete/post6357/ |access-date=30 May 2021 |publisher=hominis.media |language=Japanese}}
Career
= Elementary school years =
Ran started playing volleyball in his second grade of elementary school for the school's team.{{cite news |title=髙橋藍、男子バレーの新星は19歳。兄が振り返る急成長の過程 |url=https://sportiva.shueisha.co.jp/clm/otherballgame/volleyball/2021/05/28/19/index_3.php |access-date=30 May 2021 |agency=sportiva.shueisha.co.jp |publisher=Takai Miwa |language=Japanese}}
= High school years =
Ran played for Kyoto Municipal Hachigaoka Junior High School. Because of his height, in the first grade, he was mainly used as a Libero.
Afterward, he attended Higashiyama High School, and he was in the starting line up in high school since his first year and served as an ace and captain of his team by the third year. He led his team to the top 4 of the "Inter-High School Sports Festival." Furthermore, his team won the "National Sports Festival" of Japan as well as the winter 2020 All Japan High School Volleyball Championships, also known as "Haruko." In addition, he received the "Most valuable player" award at the end of the competition.{{cite web |title=Ran Takahashi |url=https://sport-sunchlorella.com/en/support_players/ran-takahashi/ |website=Sport Sunchlorella |date=7 July 2020 |access-date=21 August 2021}}{{cite news |title=髙橋藍(バレーボール)はハーフなの？父や兄もすごい？シューズや東山高校時代は？ |url=https://sports-brothers.com/17435.html#i-4 |access-date=30 May 2021 |publisher=sports-brothers.com |language=Japanese}}
He has no under category experience at all, but he was immediately elected as a senior representative in February 2020 while he was still in the 3rd grade of high school.{{cite news |title=【ＴＯＫＹＯ２０２０＋１カウントダウン】バレー・高橋藍、東京五輪へ石川と歩む！次期エースへ石川を超える！ |url=https://www.sanspo.com/article/20210310-33MBSHXR2JJNPMKRJGQ7RO65PM/ |access-date=30 May 2021 |publisher=www.sanspo.com |language=Japanese}}{{Cite web |title=バレーボール東京五輪男子日本代表の高橋藍がセリエＡのパドバに加入へ - バレーボール : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202111290000437.html |access-date=2021-12-14 |website=nikkansports.com |language=ja}}
= College years and international success =
After graduating from high school, Takahashi entered Nippon Sport Science University. He led the team, receiving the runner-up place in the 2020 All Japan Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship, and got the Best scorer award from the competition.{{cite web |title=第７３回秩父宮賜杯全日本バレーボール大学男子選手権大会 ミキプルーンスーパーカレッジバレー２０２０ |url=https://www.jva.or.jp/domestic_convention/uploads/outline/359/best_intercollege_men2020.pdf |website=jva.or.jp |publisher=JVA |access-date=30 May 2021 |language=Japanese}} In 2021, he was one of the Outside Hitters for the Japan men's national volleyball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan.{{cite web |title=国際第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 |publisher=jva.or.jp |access-date=21 August 2021}}
After winning 2nd place at the Asian Men's Volleyball Championship with the Japan men's national volleyball team, he returned to play for his college team in the 2021 Kanto University Men's Division 1 League, winning 1st place by defeating Waseda University in straight sets.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-01 |title=秋季関東大学男子1部リーグ 試合結果と最終順位 {{!}} 月バレ.com【月刊バレーボール】 |url=https://www.getsuvolley.com/211031_kanto_univ_men |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=月バレ.com【月刊バレーボール】 {{!}} 月刊バレーボールが運営するバレー情報サイト |language=ja}} He also played for his college team in the 2021 All Japan Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship, but lost in the quarterfinals against Jutendo University.{{cite news |title=【バレー】男子は高橋藍擁する日体大が慶応大とフルセットの激闘。女子も2年ぶりVを目指す筑波大が天理大に辛勝 全日本インカレ |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/7a5a6c86c99b099b6236bbc553975799b096acca |access-date=14 January 2022 |publisher=news.yahoo.co.jp |language=ja}}
On November 29, it was announced that Takahashi would play in the Italian Volleyball League Division 1 with Pallavolo Padova.{{cite news |title=イタリア挑戦の高橋藍「スパイクの決定率を追求したい」チーム選択には石川から助言も |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/7ddf79d5b1368c1e250829d396d63ff7fcbb901f |access-date=14 January 2022 |publisher=news.yahoo.co.jp |language=ja}} He arrived Italy on December and signed 14 as his jersey number, the same as Yūki Ishikawa's when he played with Padova.
On December 19, Ran debuted in the Italian Volleyball League as a substitute in the third set against Modena Volley.{{cite news |title=【バレー】イタリア・セリエA男子 21/22シーズン第13節 前半最終節で高橋藍がリーグデビュー果たす |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5c646d5d3101a44c30b94c0c3631172997f9d6eb |access-date=14 January 2022 |publisher=news.yahoo.co.jp |language=ja}}{{Cite web |title=Ran Takahashi's first point in SuperLega |url=https://twitter.com/pallavolopadova/status/1472289745585598464 |access-date=2022-01-16 |website=Twitter |language=en}} Pallavolo Padova announced that Ran has renewed his contract with the club for Season 2022-2023.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-21 |title=Nazionale giapponese a Padova, Ran Takahashi confermato in bianconero |url=https://www.pallavolopadova.com/news/nazionale-giapponese-a-padova-in-vista-della-vnl-e-ran-takahashi-confermato-in-bianconero/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Pallavolo Padova |language=it-IT}} He was nominated MVP of the match against Valsa Group Modena for the first time in Italian league.{{Cite web |title=【バレー】髙橋藍 開幕戦スタメンを獲得し17得点でMVP（月刊バレーボール） |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/084b1a1dc382512cb25a15f07696de9bc6273486 |access-date=2022-10-06 |website=Yahoo!ニュース |language=ja}}
From 2023 until 2024, Vero Volley Monza signed with Ran Takahashi for the Italian Volleyball League.{{Cite web |last=勝部晃多 |title=【バレー】日本代表の高橋藍がイタリア・セリエＡのモンツァと契約 日体大に在学しながらプレー - バレーボール : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202306010000386.html |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=nikkansports.com |language=ja}} He later signed with Suntory Sunbirds and is set to make his debut in the Japanese Volleyball League.
At the 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris, France, Takahashi made his second Olympics appearance alongside Japan men's national volleyball team. They reached the quarterfinals but eventually lost to Italy men's national volleyball team.{{Cite web |last=NEWS |first=KYODO |title=Olympics: Japan suffers heartbreaking men's volleyball q'final loss |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/08/1ef56d686232-olympics-japan-loses-to-italy-in-mens-volleyball-qfinals.html |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Kyodo News+}}
Clubs
- {{Flagicon|JPN}} {{ill|Higashiyama High School|ja|東山中学校・高等学校}} (2017–2020)
- {{Flagicon|JPN}} Nippon Sport Science University (2020–2024){{cite web |title=Vol.9 Aim High, Reach Higher Spring High champion takes on the world. A story of the Takahashi brothers. |url=https://sport-sunchlorella.com/en/journal/envol9/vol9-1/ |website=Sport Sunchlorella |date=28 October 2020 |access-date=21 August 2021}}
- {{Flagicon|ITA}} Pallavolo Padova (2021–2023){{Cite web |title=Takahashi Ran |url=https://www.legavolley.it/player/TAK-RAN-01 |access-date=2021-12-14 |website=Legavolley |language=it-IT}}{{Cite web |title=日体大・高橋藍がセリエＡ挑戦「完成度高い」称賛のパドバに今冬加入 - バレーボール : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202111270000261.html |access-date=2021-12-14 |website=nikkansports.com |language=ja}}
- {{Flagicon|ITA}} Vero Volley Monza (2023–2024)
- {{Flagicon|Japan}} Suntory Sunbirds (2024–2025)
Personal life
He owns an Instagram account with 2 million followers, a YouTube and TikTok channel with his brother, called RanRui, which is a portmanteau of their given names.{{cn|date=September 2024}}
Ran Takahashi: The First Photobook, a career retrospective, was released on August 22, 2022.{{Cite web |title=髙橋藍ファースト写真集 RAN 二十歳の肖像（髙橋藍/監修） {{!}} BBMスポーツ {{!}} ベースボール･マガジン社 |url=http://www.bbm-japan.com/article/detail/35052 |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=www.bbm-japan.com |language=ja}}
Awards
= Individual =
- 2020 All Japan High School Volleyball Championships – Most Valuable Player
- 2020 All Japan Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship – Best Scorer
- 2023 Asian Championship – Best Outside Spiker
- 2023 Anan Awards – Anan Awards for Athlete Category
- Superlega 2023/2024 season – Best Receiver Awards
- 2024 Emperor's Cup and Empress' Cup All Japan Volleyball Championship - MVP
= High school team =
- 2020 All Japan High School Volleyball Championships – 16px Champion, with Higashiyama High School
= College team =
= National team =
- 2021 Asian Championship – file:Med 2.png Runner-up
- 2023 Volleyball Nations League – {{BronzeMedal}} 3rd place
- 2023 Asian Championship – 16px Champion
- 2023 World Cup - {{SilverMedal}} Runner-Up
- 2024 Volleyball Nations League - {{SilverMedal}} Runner-Up
=Club team=
- Vero Volley Monza
- 2023/24 Coppa Italia - {{SilverMedal}} 2nd Place
- 2023/24 CEV Challenge Cup - {{SilverMedal}} 2nd Place
- 2023/24 Italian Superlega - {{SilverMedal}} 2nd Place
- Suntory Sunbirds
- Emperor's Cup and Empress' Cup All Japan Volleyball Championship|2024 - {{GoldMedal}} 1st Place
Ambassadorship
Takahashi's brand ambassadorships include French luxury fashion house Dior, Japanese makeup brand Kosé, and Filipino electronics company Akari.{{cite news|title=Japan's Ran Takahashi tapped as ambassador of electronics company|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/8/15/japan-s-ran-takahashi-tapped-as-ambassador-of-electronics-company-2102|work=ABS-CBN|last=Caacbay|first=Kennedy|date=August 15, 2024|access-date=February 16, 2025}}{{cite news|title=Get to Know Japanese Volleyball Fan Favorite Ran Takahashi|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/people/society-personalities/about-japanese-volleyball-player-ran-takahashi/38800|work=ABS-CBN|last=Diez|first=Grace|date=August 20, 2024|access-date=February 16, 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- {{Olympedia}}
- {{Olympics.com|ran-takahashi}}
- [https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/ran-takahashi_1918654 Ran Takahashi] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
- {{Instagram|ran.volleyball0902}}
- [https://www.insider.com/japans-olympic-mens-volleyball-rookie-viral-twitter-anime-style-moves-2021-8 Japan's men's volleyball team might be out of the Olympics, but its star rookie is going viral on Twitter for his slick moves straight out of sports anime 'Haikyuu!!']
{{Japan men's volleyball team 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{Japan men's volleyball team 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Takahashi, Ran}}
Category:Japanese men's volleyball players
Category:Sportspeople from Kyoto Prefecture
Category:Volleyball players from Kyoto Prefecture
Category:Volleyball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic volleyball players for Japan