Ryota Yamagata, who holds the Japanese record for the 100-meter track and field men who announced that he will miss the Japan Championships this month, said in an online interview, "I'm sorry, but I'm having a fulfilling day."
Yamagata has a Japanese record of 9.95 seconds in the men's 100 meters and was the captain of the Japanese team at the Tokyo Olympics last year.
However, he hurt his right knee after the Tokyo tournament and had surgery in October.
Yamagata will miss the Japan Championships, which will open in Osaka on the 9th of this month, and responded to the interview online.
Regarding the situation of his right knee, he explained, "It's been well healed and the progress itself is good, but I'm still under treatment." There is also the expectation that there will be big opportunities for next year's World Championships in Athletics and next year's Paris Olympics. I'm sorry, but I'm having a fulfilling day. I'm in the middle of it, so I'm practicing while enjoying the changes. "
He said about the prospect of returning, "I have to think about the situation of injury, so I do not know what will happen, but as an image, I want to return in earnest from next season."
Yamagata, who will turn 30 on the 10th of this month, said, "It is necessary to improve detailed functions, but if you can train well, age does not matter much. At the time of the Tokyo Olympics, if your physical strength is different from overseas athletes I felt that I would like to take a long time to strengthen my physical skills toward 2024, "he said, showing his motivation for the Paris Olympics two years later.