Ayumi Goma - Shooter / Team Captain | Petanque Player Profile
Ayumi Goma is Japan's most decorated modern pétanque competitor: 2016 Asian Beach Games bronze medalist and Player Captain of the Japanese team that reached a tied 5th place - the country's best-ever finish - at the 2017 Women Pétanque World Championship in Kaihua, China.
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Nationality
Shooter / Team Captain
Role
Career Achievements
Ayumi Goma of Aoyama Pétanque in Tokyo is Japan's most decorated recent pétanque competitor, with a career that spans the 2016 Asian Beach Games through to the country's national team selection trials in 2026. We could not independently verify her birth year, birthplace, or boules brand, so this profile sticks to what is documented in tournament records and federation coverage.
Asian Beach Games Bronze
Goma's breakthrough international result came at the 2016 Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam, where she won bronze in women's singles - Japan's only pétanque medal at those Games. The result established her as the country's leading female competitor heading into the following World Championship cycle.
Player Captain at the 2017 World Championship
Japan's pétanque federation, the JPBF, sent its women's team to the 2017 Women Pétanque World Championship, held 8-12 November in Kaihua, Zhejiang Province, China, with Goma serving as Player Captain. Under her leadership, Japan finished among the tournament's best-8 teams, tied for 5th place overall - the best result any Japanese team has recorded at a World Championship. In the individual shooting competition held alongside the team event, Goma scored 30 points in the first round and 21 in the second, finishing 13th. The Japan Pétanque and Boules Federation subsequently honored her with its Excellent Player Award, citing both her Asian Beach Games medal and her leadership of the team in China.
Continued International Selection
Goma went on to represent Japan again at the 2023 Women's and Junior World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. Her selection has remained consistent in the years since: at the national team's pointing and shooting trials, held over two days in Chiryu, Aichi Prefecture in March 2026, she placed first in both disciplines for a fifth consecutive time, earning her spot on Japan's squad for that year's international competitions.
Club and Playing Position
Goma plays for Aoyama Pétanque, which meets every Saturday afternoon at Aoyama Park in Tokyo's Minato-ku, near Nogizaka Station on the Chiyoda Line, and is one of seven clubs affiliated with the Tokyo Pétanque Boules Federation. At the 2017 World Championship she competed in the shooting or middle (milieu) position for Japan in every match, consistent with her role as the team's designated shooter alongside her captaincy duties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ayumi Goma's biggest pétanque achievement?
Two results stand out: a bronze medal in women's singles at the 2016 Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam - Japan's only pétanque medal at those Games - and, as Player Captain, leading Japan's women's team to a tied 5th-place finish at the 2017 Women Pétanque World Championship in Kaihua, China, the best World Championship result any Japanese team has recorded.
What club does Ayumi Goma play for?
She competes for Aoyama Pétanque, one of Tokyo's most active clubs, which plays every Saturday afternoon at Aoyama Park in Minato-ku and is affiliated with the Tokyo Pétanque Boules Federation.
Has Ayumi Goma won a World Championship medal?
Not an individual or team medal. At the 2017 Women Pétanque World Championship in Kaihua, China, she led Japan to a tied 5th-place finish (individually she finished 13th in the shooting competition), which remains the strongest result by a Japanese team at a World Championship rather than a podium finish.
Is Ayumi Goma still competing for Japan?
As of March 2026, yes. At the national team's pointing and shooting selection trials in Chiryu, Aichi Prefecture, she placed first in both disciplines for a fifth consecutive time, securing another place on Japan's squad for that year's international tournaments.