This year's Japan Championships in Athletics was a tournament in which so-called "Gen Z" athletes born in the 1990s and early 2000s took the seat, and expectations were high for the success of the Paris Olympics two years later.
Looking at the factors behind this generation's success, there was a hint nine years before the bid for the Tokyo Olympics was decided.
All of the world championship unofficial players are "Gen Z"
A total of 10 people from the 8th event have been selected as representatives of the World Championships in July at this tournament.
All of them from 20 to 24 years old are "Gen Z" players.
<Unofficial athletes of this tournament>
Men's 100m: Sani Brown Abdel Hakim (23)
Men's 5000m: Endo Hinata (23)
Men's 110mH: Izumitani Shunsuke (22) / Muratake Rashid (20)
Men's 400mH: Kazuki Kurokawa (20)
Men's 3000m Obstacles: Ryuji Miura (20) / Ryoma Aoki (24)
Men's run long jump: Yuki Hashioka (23)
Women's 1500m: Nozomi Tanaka (22)
Women's 5000m Nozomi Tanaka (22) / Rika Hironaka (21)
<Medium and long distance> Challenge of Nozomi Tanaka and Ryuji Miura
At medium and long distances, Tanaka and Miura, who achieved the feat of winning the Tokyo tournament, showed a different dimension.
Tanaka achieved two crowns with a masterpiece run.
Not only in the 1500 meters that won the prize at the Tokyo Games, but also in the 5000 meters that was lost in the qualifying at the Olympic Games, I made the best use of the speed of the last and won the championship by a large margin.
On the other hand, Miura, who has a 3000m steeplechase, never gave up the lead, and was able to see at a glance the difference from other athletes, such as the dynamism of jumping obstacles and the small amount of splashing water.
What they both have in common is that they can demonstrate high running ability in many events.
Tanaka participated in a total of five races, including his specialty of 1500 meters, in the third event.
Miura participated only in the 3000m steeplechase, but this season he set the second fastest time in Japan's history at 1500m, and even at 5000m he continues to challenge for growth, such as winning the representative player of the Tokyo Games. ..
<Men's 110mH> Shunsuke Izumiya and Rachid Muratake
In the 110-meter hurdles where Japanese athletes have been improving over the past few years, Japanese record holder Izumitani shortened his time every time he ran in three races from qualifying to the final.
In the final, with a headwind of 1.2 meters, he set a good time of 13 seconds 21 in the world's top 10 this season.
Muratake, a junior at the university who chased Izumitani, marked his personal best in the qualifying and broke the standard participation record (13.27).
The factors behind the success of "Gen Z" are ...
Behind the success of these "Gen Z" flag bearers is the change in the training environment, such as the introduction of scientific training, but it can be said that the bid for the Tokyo Olympics was involved.
The bid for the Tokyo Games was decided nine years ago, in September 2013.
At that time, the athletes who were from the upper grades of elementary school to junior high school began to engage in athletics in earnest.
When I was a kid, it was decided to hold the Tokyo Olympics, and I had a clear goal of "I want to participate!"
Kazuhiko Yamazaki, chairman of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations, summarized the tournament and described the improvement of young people's abilities as the "legacy" of the Tokyo tournament.
Kazuhiko Yamazaki, Chairman of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations
, "The Tokyo Olympics had a clear goal for young people. Even after the Games are over, they continue to play an active role and are emerging. This is really thanks to the Tokyo Olympics."
On the other hand, many of the players who have been under the pressure of the national team for many years did not produce results.
In the men's 100 meters, Yoshihide Kiryu, who felt uncomfortable on the back of his right thigh in April and was the first race in two months, finished 6th in the final.
Shuhei Tada, who was aiming for consecutive victories, disappeared in the semi-finals due to a foot injury and the influence.
Chairman Yamazaki has participated in the Olympics for three consecutive tournaments with a 400-meter hurdle. I want to continue to look forward to it. "
To the 2024 Paris Olympics
The next Olympics are approaching two years from now.
By being appointed as the representative of the World Championship this time, Gen Z players have a chance to challenge the world's top players on the big stage before the 2024 Paris tournament.
It seems that we cannot take our eyes off how the experienced players who have been carrying the national team and the players of "Gen Z" will compete and enhance each other in the future.