Olympic women’s javelin champion Haruka Kitaguchi hopes that the gold medal she won in Paris will make fellow Japanese athletes think they can compete with the world’s best in any event.
The 26-year-old became the first Japanese woman to claim Olympic gold in athletics in an event other than the marathon. Naoko Takahashi and Mizuki Noguchi were the marathon winners at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games, respectively.
Koji Murofushi won the men’s hammer gold at the 2004 Olympics.
Screenshot shows Olympic women’s javelin gold medalist Haruka Kitaguchi speaking in an online interview on Aug. 23, 2024. (Kyodo)
“Many of today’s young athletes weren’t born in 2004, so I’m glad they saw me win a gold medal in athletics,” Kitaguchi said in a recent online interview with Kyodo News.
“I hope my win in an event that had never been won by a Japanese athlete will be a good opportunity to correct the stereotypical view that we can’t win in particular areas.”
In the Aug. 10 final, no one else bettered Kitaguchi’s first throw, a season-best 65.80 meters, and her top finish was guaranteed before she stepped up for her final throw.
“As I planned, I put a lot of energy into my first attempt,” Kitaguchi said while revealing that she was nervous and strained her right calf from around the fourth attempt, so she could not push herself late in the competition.
Since 2019, Kitaguchi has trained in the Czech Republic, whose javelin throwers hold both men’s and women’s world records.
“I feel really happy that even small things about me have been picked up (by the media),” Kitaguchi said. “Even after I got back to the Czech Republic, I’ve spent some good times, for instance being celebrated at my favorite cafe.”
Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi competes en route to winning gold in the women’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 10, 2024, at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Asked to comment on the next Olympics in Los Angeles, Kitaguchi said she wants to spend the intervening years making high-quality preparations at her own pace, whatever the outcome.
“Not just by myself, I want to work hard with everyone else to keep proving that we can compete with the world in weaker areas for Japanese,” she said.
The Hokkaido native also aims to throw longer.
“I think the previous Olympic women’s javelin winners had to throw like 67 meters,” she said. “In today’s field, no one can get close to 70 meters. I don’t want people to think that’s why I’m winning. I can definitely throw much longer.”
Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi celebrates after winning gold in the women’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 10, 2024, at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
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