Haruka Kitaguchi won bronze in the women's javelin at the world athletics championships Friday, becoming the first Japanese woman to medal in a throwing event at either the worlds or the Olympics.

The 24-year-old threw 63.27 meters in the final for Japan's third medal at the ongoing championships in Oregon. Yukifumi Murakami was Japan's last javelin medalist when he took bronze in the men's competition at the 2009 worlds.

Haruka Kitaguchi celebrates with the Japanese national flag after winning the women's javelin bronze medal at the athletics world championships in Eugene, Oregon on July 22, 2022. (Pool photo) (Kyodo)

Australia's Kelsey-Lee Barber won gold with 66.91, and American Kara Winger was second with 64.05.

"I'm happy to have won a medal," Kitaguchi said. "(But) this is not the goal. I'll do my best from here, aiming for gold."

Kitaguchi struggled to improve on a throw of 62.07 with her first of six attempts in the final, but she saved her best until last, moving up from fifth and securing her spot on the podium.

"I went in trying to throw as far as I possibly could. I was strong with my sixth throw when I was at high school, and I tried to recall that mindset," she said.

Japan's Haruka Kitaguchi takes her third throw in the women's javelin final at the athletics world championships in Eugene, Oregon on July 22, 2022. (Pool photo) (Kyodo)

The Hokkaido native was the world youth champion in 2015 and rewrote the Japanese record twice in 2019. She was 12th at the Tokyo Olympics last summer.

This season, she became the first Japanese to win the event in the Diamond League in June and topped qualification at these worlds.

"It would be great if this builds momentum within women's javelin in Japan," Kitaguchi said. "I want to enjoy going head-to-head with rivals from overseas. It's important to get the fans to recognize me and, hopefully, I can make many fans around the world."

"I'll keep going thinking this is something that not only I can do but that all Japanese athletes can do and that we can all strive to do our best."


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