Top Athletes’ Favorite Items Vol. 3: Sae Takemoto (Javelin Throw)

Interviews

Posted

2023.12.21

Once you're captivated by top athletes performing in competition, you can't help but become curious about the items they use every day. These items offer a glimpse of who they really are, and there may even be hints hidden there about what supports their incredible performances. Today, we feature javelin thrower Sae Takemoto. What are the things Takemoto never goes a day without?

Takemoto’s charm lies in her free-spirited nature and carefree smile. But the moment she picks up a javelin that is two meters long and weighs about 600 grams, her expression instantly transforms into that of a top athlete with a personal best of 62.39m. True to the joyful presence and stunning fastball that left the crowd in awe at the ceremonial first pitch at the Rakuten Super Night Game in July 2023, the items she carries every day reveal two sides: a charming “off” mode and a stoic “on” mode. What overflows from her bag is a spirit of care toward herself.

“Some of the things I use to keep my body in good condition are things I’ve been using since high school. It all comes down to using what suits your body the best. I’m not that particular about cosmetics, but because my lips are a little pale and can make me look tired, I use a slightly bright lipstick that my older sister gave me. And then fragrance. A nice scent lifts my mood even when things are tough.”

Looking over her favorite items, Takemoto laughs innocently: “These are honestly just my everyday things, so they’re not very photogenic, are they?” Yet every one of them is something she needs to bring stability to her daily life, and together they seemed to express the very personality of this 24-year-old female athlete. Sunglasses she switches between on and off the field, hair ties to gather the long, light-colored hair that has become her trademark, hand cream to prevent rough hands, supplements to support her body after exercise, and a handwritten notebook in which she records her training menus and goals.

(Clockwise from left) Tote bag / shopping bag from a store she visited in Australia; Sunglasses / (top) “Actuator” (bottom) “HSTN,” both by Oakley®; Assorted hair ties; Care products / (top) homemade massage tool made from two tennis balls and black athletic tape, (middle left) golf ball, (middle right) Neuro Ball / Naboso, (bottom) Pilates ball; Several kinds of throat lozenges; Supplements / all aminoVITAL; Two TheraBands; Lotion / Curél; Hand cream / Aesop; Notebook & ballpoint pen; Fragrances / (top) Dior, (bottom) Diptyque; Lipsticks / both Dior; Earphones “ZE8000” / final; Compact mirror / Chanel

Pick-Up Items

Earphones from final, a brand renowned for its high sound quality and popular among athletes and musicians. Takemoto uses them while traveling, running, and during weight training. “I usually listen to whatever’s on the current hit charts on shuffle.”

A conditioning ball from naboso, used to stimulate the soles of the feet, where nerves are densely concentrated, to relax and refresh the muscles. “At the training center, I often see top Japanese athletes using them too.”

“I’ve just come from practice today, so I have a lot of these with me today. I sometimes have a nutritionist check my meal plans, but basically I manage meals myself.” She carries these supplements even when eating out with friends to maintain a balanced diet.

Favorite scents help her refresh her mood after tough practice. On the left is her favorite, Dior’s “Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet,” and on the right is Diptyque’s “Orphéon,” which she recently bought.

Of the five javelins she owns, including those for practice, she specially brought along one from the Swedish brand Nordic Sport for this shoot. “I take two javelins to competitions. This purple one is very consistent, and it’s the model I mainly use in competition. The other is a colorful javelin from Nishi Sports. It’s a bit trickier to handle, but if I can throw it properly, it really carries.”

“I want to properly face up to what I’m lacking right now and turn that into results.” Takemoto continues to hone her skills as a professional javelin thrower, aiming to compete in the global competition in Paris in 2024 and win a medal. When she breaks her personal best, and returns once again to the world’s biggest stage, which javelin will she be throwing, the “purple” one or the “colorful” one?

TEXT: Keisuke Honda
PHOTO: Ryo Kuzuma
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)

Javelin Throw

Sae Takemoto

Born in 1999 in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Takemoto is a javelin thrower under a management contract with Rakuten Sports. Even though she had been playing baseball since elementary school, she switched to javelin throw in high school. Using her naturally strong arm as her weapon, she won the girls' common category at both the 70th All Japan Inter-High School Athletics Championships and the 72nd National Sports Festival. She then went on to university, where she recorded 62.39m, which was the fourth best in Japanese history and also her personal best, at the 2021 Japan Student Individual Athletics Championships to win the title. In 2022, she placed third at the 106th Japan Athletics Championships, then represented Japan at the 18th World Athletics Championships, finishing 11th.

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Our services are provided within the region and laws of Japan and we provide translations for your convenience. The Japanese version of our websites and applications, in which include Rakuten Membership Rules, Privacy Policy or other terms and conditions, is the definitive version , unless otherwise indicated. If there are any discrepancies, the Japanese version shall prevail. We do not guarantee that we always provide translation. Certain features or messages (including customer services) may not be available in the selected language.

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