Megumi Kinukawa
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese long-distance runner. She represented her country at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
in Osaka and is the Japanese high school and junior record holder for the 10,000 metres.
Born in Takasaki, Gunma
, she attended Sendai Ikue High School – an institution renowned for its athletic programme. Kinukawa made her first impact on the national junior circuit in 2006, as she won the junior race at the Fukuoka International Cross Country
and was runner-up at the Chiba Cross Country two weeks later. This gained her a debut international selection at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
(also held in Fukuoka), where the sixteen-year-old came in fourteenth place and helped the Japanese girls to a team bronze medal
. Turning to the track
later that April, she ran a national junior record in the 10,000 metres at the Hyogo Relay Carnival, placing second behind Lucy Wangui
with a mark of 31:35.27 minutes – raising her to eleventh on the all-time junior rankings.
Kinukawa ran at the Fukuoka Cross Country in 2007 and became the first high school student to win the senior title at the competition. With the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
to be held in Osaka
, she opted to focus on her track performances and achieved the "A" standard for the 10,000 m in April. She took third place in the event at the Japanese Athletics Championships and earned her first senior selection as a result. At the World Championships in Osaka that August she came fourteenth in the women's 10,000 m, coming in as the second best Asian finisher behind compatriot Kayoko Fukushi
. Kinukawa took to the roads at the end of the year to compete for the Japanese team at the Chiba International Ekiden. She played a key role in Japan's victory at the competition, winning the fourth stage and closing the gap on Catherine Kirui
of then-leaders Kenya.
She suffered a stress fracture
injury to her foot in April 2008 and only returned to serious competition in 2009. The injury continued to affect her running and she managed only 56th place at the 2010 Chiba Cross Country. The 2011 season saw her return to form and breakthrough into the senior ranks with a win over 5000 m at the Japanese Athletics Championships and then a third place finish on her half marathon
debut at the Sapporo Half Marathon
.
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
in Osaka and is the Japanese high school and junior record holder for the 10,000 metres.
Born in Takasaki, Gunma
Takasaki, Gunma
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....
, she attended Sendai Ikue High School – an institution renowned for its athletic programme. Kinukawa made her first impact on the national junior circuit in 2006, as she won the junior race at the Fukuoka International Cross Country
Fukuoka International Cross Country
The Fukuoka International Cross Country is an annual cross country running competition which takes place in Fukuoka, Japan in either late February or Early March...
and was runner-up at the Chiba Cross Country two weeks later. This gained her a debut international selection at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 1-2 April 2006 in Fukuoka, Japan.The event was once again dominated by Ethiopian and Kenyan runners and also Eritrean runners...
(also held in Fukuoka), where the sixteen-year-old came in fourteenth place and helped the Japanese girls to a team bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
. Turning to the track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
later that April, she ran a national junior record in the 10,000 metres at the Hyogo Relay Carnival, placing second behind Lucy Wangui
Lucy Wangui
Lucy Wangui Kabuu is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres events. She has represented Kenya twice at the Summer Olympics, finishing in the top ten of the 10,000 m race in both 2004 and 2008...
with a mark of 31:35.27 minutes – raising her to eleventh on the all-time junior rankings.
Kinukawa ran at the Fukuoka Cross Country in 2007 and became the first high school student to win the senior title at the competition. With the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
to be held in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, she opted to focus on her track performances and achieved the "A" standard for the 10,000 m in April. She took third place in the event at the Japanese Athletics Championships and earned her first senior selection as a result. At the World Championships in Osaka that August she came fourteenth in the women's 10,000 m, coming in as the second best Asian finisher behind compatriot Kayoko Fukushi
Kayoko Fukushi
is a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres. Fukushi represented Japan at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics....
. Kinukawa took to the roads at the end of the year to compete for the Japanese team at the Chiba International Ekiden. She played a key role in Japan's victory at the competition, winning the fourth stage and closing the gap on Catherine Kirui
Catherine Kirui
-Achievements:-Personal bests:*3000 metres - 9:12.05 min *5000 metres - 15:43.22 min *10,000 metres - 32:16.5 min *Half marathon - 1:10:38 min -External links:...
of then-leaders Kenya.
She suffered a stress fracture
Stress fracture
A stress fracture is one type of incomplete fracture in bones. It is caused by "unusual or repeated stress" and also heavy continuous weight on the ankle or leg...
injury to her foot in April 2008 and only returned to serious competition in 2009. The injury continued to affect her running and she managed only 56th place at the 2010 Chiba Cross Country. The 2011 season saw her return to form and breakthrough into the senior ranks with a win over 5000 m at the Japanese Athletics Championships and then a third place finish on her half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
debut at the Sapporo Half Marathon
Sapporo Half Marathon
The ' is an annual road running competition over the half marathon distance which takes place in July in Sapporo, Japan.First held in 1958, the race began as a full marathon competition for men under the moniker of the Hokkai Times Marathon. This lasted until 1973, as it was replaced with a...
.
External links
- Athlete Profile from JAAF