Javelin Throw, an athletics throwing competition, involves throwing a "javelin" that exceeds 600g in weight and 2m in length.Sae Takemoto is a top athlete with world-class skills in women's Javelin Throw.She is now aiming to participate in the World Athletics Championships to be held in 2025.I heard their thoughts directed towards the world, looking ahead to the year 2024 after experiencing feelings of regret.

Participation and Records in the World Championship
I’ll make this a year of action, not just words.

In the Japan Athletics Championships held in June 2024, Sae Takemoto achieved second place with a record of 61.41m.In the same tournament, the difference between the champion, Haruka Kitaguchi, was 1.46m, and the difference with the third-place finisher, Momone Ueda, was 0.49m. The abilities of these women, who are of similar age and lead the domestic women’s Javelin Throw, are closely matched.Just a few more meters, just a few more centimeters──.

As a result of their diligent efforts, the Japanese representatives, Kitaguchi and Ueda, who flew to Paris this year, have made significant progress. Takemoto also left a good track record, frequently placing high in domestic competitions, including two victories, but for her, who just fell short, this past year was nothing but “frustrating”.”Might I not have tried hard enough?” I mutter, while also taking pride in the fact that I’ve accomplished something significant.Implemented the first European expedition of his own, and actively participated in international competitions.In training, I gained power by doing workouts more than ever before, specifically to increase my strength.

“It was in the latter half of this year that power and technology began to work together effectively. Although my goal of going to Paris did not come true, it was a fruitful year in which I was able to review the basics. Viewing this positively, I want to start anew and take action towards the next year.”

Continuing on, she stated that she gained valuable experience from numerous overseas expeditions.

“You don’t need to get weirdly nervous just because it’s an important match.After observing many foreign players, I feel like I’ve relearned that tension and focus are separate things.I was surprised to see players smiling during the game, and some were even sightseeing before the match. (laughs)Being nervous isn’t a bad thing, but it’s not right for it to cause your body to shrink in response. I’ve done what I needed to do, and I realized that the most important thing is to focus on the performance while enjoying it.”

The next big global stage is what Takemoto, who has gained further toughness both physically and mentally, is aiming for.It’s the World Athletics Championships that will be held in September 2025.Moreover, the venue is “Tokyo”, a place where, whether we like it or not, expectations for the performance of Japanese athletes naturally gather.In 2022, at the World Athletics Championship held in Oregon, USA, they qualified as a representative and advanced to the finals, finishing in 11th place.She looks back on that time as follows.

“I felt like I was chosen as the representative before I knew it, and somehow made it to the finals.I think they probably didn’t think too deeply and were just standing there in that situation.”That’s why this time, I want to participate after declaring that I will absolutely make it.”

For Takemoto, the year 2025 is an unparalleled opportunity to surpass her  past self and aim for results on a big stage.In order to establish a system, it seems that they started throwing practice earlier than usual, while carefully checking their condition.By the way, there is a number called the qualifying record for the same tournament, and just like in Paris, “64m” is considered the standard for women’s Javelin Throw.Even if one does not meet the standards set by this participation record, it is possible to participate depending on their performance. However, Takemoto is strongly fixated on “64m”.

“In the past, even women’s winning records exceeded 70m, but recently, there is a tendency to compete for the top positions in the 60m range.This is temporary, and surely an athlete capable of reaching the 70m mark will appear again soon.It may seem presumptuous to mention a distance of 64m, which is beyond my personal best, but I believe the closer I get to 64m, the more chances I have.”

The records of javelin throw athletes vary depending on the conditions of the day.If Takemoto, whose recent average has been stable at over 60m, could reach 64m──.There is a great possibility that the winds of victory may blow in her favor.In the world of women’s Javelin Throw, the petite athlete Takemoto is known for her throws that go farther than anyone else’s. We hope you look forward to the moment her javelin reaches the world.

TEXT : Keisuke Honda
PHOTO: Teppei Hori
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe, Shiori Saeki (IN FOCUS)