Kitaguchi spears historic bronze at Worlds

Haruka Kitaguchi won a historic bronze medal in the women’s javelin at the World Athletics Championships on July 22 in Eugene, Ore., making her the first-ever Japanese woman to make the medal podium in a field event at a global event.

Kitaguchi, the Japan record-holder, came up with a toss of 63.27 meters on the last of her six throws to nish third. Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber took the gold at 66.91, with American Kara Winger securing the silver with a nal toss of 64.05.

“I was focused on doing what I had to do,” said Kitaguchi, who burst into tears and hugged her Czech coach David Sekerak a er the medal was decided.

e 24-year-old Kitaguchi nished just 2 centimeters ahead of China’s Liu

Shiying, the Tokyo Olympic champion who had a chance to overtake the Japanese on her nal attempt but came up well short. Kitaguchi had the top throw in the July 20 qualifying round of 64.32.

e Hokkaido native’s medal was the 13th won by a Japanese woman at a World Championships and the rst since 2013. All but one of the others came in the marathon.

Kitaguchi, who set the Japan record of 66.00 in Kitakyushu in October 2019, su ered a side injury at last year’s Tokyo Olympics and nished 12th.

But she recovered this season and preceded the world championships by winning the javelin at the Diamond League meet in Paris in June, the

rst-ever victory by a Japanese on the elite circuit. She went into the World Championships ranked sixth in the world. (July 24)