Three athletes will represent Japan at the 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics, Budapest, Hungary (5 - 7 March). They are Masato Naito, a high hurdler, Daichi Sawano, a pole vaulter, and Kumiko Ikeda, a long jumper.
Daichi Sawano, who holds national high school record (5.40m), national junior record (5.50m), national collegiate record (5.52m) and national outdoor record (5.75m) recently set the national indoor record, having vaulted 5.70m at the Pole Vault Summit in Reno on 10 January 10th.
Sawano, who made the outdoor final in Paris, earlier this month, Sawano won the Pole Vault in the duel meet against China in Yokohama and in Kagawa, both at 5.60m.
Masato Naito, national record holder at 110mH won the 60mH in the duel meet against China in Yokohama on February 21 with the personal best of 7.85, 0.6 seconds short of the national indoor record. Because Naito has not done much hurdle work leading up to Yokohama, he should only get faster for the World Indoor Championships.
Kumiko Ikeda, a precocious talent who holds national junior high school record (6.19m), national junior record (6.43m) and national collegiate record (6.78m) all at long jump, is on a roll this winter.
She was a bronze medalist at the 2000 World Junior Championships and twice (2001 & 2003) competed in the World Outdoor Championships. In the duel meet against China, in Tenjing (18 Feb), Ikeda set personal bests at both 60mH (8.57) and Long Jump (6.35m). Three days later in Yokohama she improved again in both events. Ikeda recorded 8.37 for 60mH and 6.54m for LJ, just three cm short of the national indoor record.
Name - Event - Indoor PR - Outdoor PR
Men:
Masato Naito 60mH 7.85 13.47 (110mH)
Daichi Sawano PV 5.70m 5.75m
Women:
Kumiko Ikeda LJ 6.54m 6.78m
