Kinue Hitomi

Kinue Hitomi (Japanese: 人見絹枝; January 1, 1907 – August 2, 1931) was a Japanese athlete. She was the first Japanese woman who received an Olympic medal. Mikio Oda won the first ever Olympic gold medal for Japan exactly three years before her death and on that same day.

And she was the world record holder in several events in the 1920s – 1930s.

Career and Record

:1907 Born in Okayama-City.:1923 4m67 in long jump as national record (not recognized) at Okayama.:1924 10m33 in triple jump as world record at that time (not recognized in present) at Okayama.:1925 11m35 in triple jump as world record at that time (not recognized in present) at Tokyo.:1926 April, Entered The Mainichi Newspapers Co.,Ltd. at Osaka.:: May, 5m06 in long jump, 10m39 in shot put and 15.4 in 100m hurdles all were national records at Miyoshino.:: August, Appeared the "2èmes Jeux mondiaux féminins FSFI" games at Gotenburg as the only Japanese woman.::She received a gold medal with a length of 5m50 in the long jump for a world record (recognized), gold with a length of 2m49 in the standing jump, silver with a length of 32m61 in discus and bronze with a time of 12.0 seconds in the 100 yard dash. She also received the honor prize for this meet from Alice Milliat, president of Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale (FSFI) for the most individual points at 15. :1927 May, ran 26.1 seconds in 200m and 2m61 in the standing jump for the world record at that time (not recognized in present) at Tokyo.::October, 6.4 seconds in 50m to tie for the world record (not currently recognized) in Tokyo.:1928 May, 59.0 seconds in 400m and 12.4 seconds in 100m for the world record at that time (both not currently recognized) in Tokyo.
::She ran 12.0 seconds in 100m and 5m98 in the long jump for world records (both recognized) in Osaka.::July, Appeared in the Amsterdam Olympics game as the only Japanese woman. She entered all individual events (100m, 800m, discus, high jump) but had been concentrating most on the 100m. However, she lost this event in semi final. She then decided to join 800m in haste (she had never joined 800m race at any official competition until that time). She passed by 2:26.2 in the preliminary and received silver medal in the final with a time of 2:17.6 in a dead heat with Lina Radke. She became the first Japanese woman who received an olympic medal.:1929 April, 217 points in Triathlon (100m, high lump, javelin) for a world record (not currently recognized) in Miyoshino. ::May, 24.7 seconds in 200m for the world record (recognized) in Tokyo.
::October, 12.0 seconds in the 100m and 7.5 in the 60m both for world records at the time (not currently recognized) in Shenyang.:1930 June, Appeared at the "3èmes Jeux mondiaux féminins FSFI" games at Prague with 5 younger Japanese Athletes.::She got gold with a length of 5m90 in the long jump, silver in the triathlon and bronze in javelin with a length of 60m. Overall she took silver with 12 individual points. After the event, the Japanese team went on to Warsaw, Berlin, Brussels, Paris and London for competitions within the next half-month.::This tough schedule and some heartless information from Japan did not bode well on her health. She then returned to Japan and worked as a lecturer and visited sponsors and contributors in many Japanese cities without much rest.:1931 March, she entered a hospital in Osaka. August 2, she died from pneumonia. This was on the same date as the Amsterdam olympic 800m final.

World Records (IOC recognized)

*100m　　　　　12.2　　20 May 1928　　Osaka　　　(kept for 42 days till 12.0 by Cook (CAN) in 2 Jul 1928)
*200m　　　　　24.7　　19 May 1929　　Tokyo　　　(kept for 1546 days till 24.6 by Schuurman (NED) in 13 Aug 1933)
*Long Jump　　5m50　　28 Aug 1926　　Gotenburg　(kept for 337 days till 5m575 by Gunn (GBR) in 01 Aug 1927)
*Long Jump　　5m98　　20 May 1928　　Osaka　　　(kept for 4087 days till 6m12 by Schulz (GER) in 30 Jul 1939)

External links

* [http://www.iaaf.org/ International Association of Athletics Federations]
* [http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp Official Website of the Olympic Movement]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/ sporting-heroes.net]
* [http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp Mainichi Shimbun]