KAMETANI Sakura

General
OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE
In 2004 she relocated to Norway and played for Nordstrand 2000, Tertnes Bergen and Vipers Kristiansand. She then played for Danish club Nykobing Falster Handbold in the 2018/19 season, before signing for French club ESBF Besancon ahead of the 2019/20 season. (eurohandball.com, 16 Nov 2019; estrepublicain.fr, 07 May 2019; nikkansports.com, 02 Dec 2019)

NAME
The Norwegian version of her surname is 'Hauge'. She competes under her Japanese name 'Kametani' with the Japanese national team and under her Norwegian name 'Hauge' with her club side ESBF Besancon. (estrepublicain.fr, 07 May 2019; nikkansports.com, 02 Dec 2019; esbf.fr, 04 Jan 2020)

HERITAGE
Born in Bergen, Norway, to a Norwegian father and a Japanese mother, she holds dual citizenship with the two nations. She represented Norway at junior level, and was part of the Norwegian team that won silver at the 2005 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. She was called up to the Norwegian senior team for two friendly matches in 2014, but began representing Japan in 2015 in order to improve her chances of competing at the Olympic Games. "I waited many years to be able to compete in big competitions, first of all as a Norwegian player, but I slipped further back in the [goalkeeping] rankings every year. In Norway there are many good, highly qualified goalkeepers and the possibility to reach my goal, to participate at the Olympics seemed be gone. The Japanese Federation contacted me first last year [speaking in 2015]. It took a little time to be able to decide, but I thought I can experience another training culture and not least to participate in a world championships and maybe Olympic Games." (estrepublicain.fr, 07 May 2019; nikkansports.com, 02 Dec 2019; timeoutmag.com, 10 Dec 2015)