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16-Year-Old Sorato Shimizu: "I'm Going for Sub-10 in High School"


Having set an U18 world record of 10.00 in July's National High School Championships men's 100 m, 16-year-old Sorato Shimizu (Seiryo H.S.) held a public practice session in Kanazawa, Ishikawa. "I'm going for sub-10 while I'm still in high school," he said, indicating that he is aiming even higher. "I'm doing what I can to get there."

The 2-hour public practice session focused on elements of motion. Although Shimizu is only 164 cm, he stands out for having proportionately long limbs and a dynamic running form. The up-and-coming new star of Japanese men's sprinting commented, "I want to work on movement focused on my hips. I think I can still improve my stride."

Shimizu's performance at the National High School Championships got noticed not only in Japan but all around the world. German media even attended the session to interview him. "I want to become internationally competitive, so I hope a lot of people will get to find out who I am," he said. Although Shimizu hit the Tokyo World Championships standard of 10.00, with 4 other men also having hit it he is not likely to get picked for the national team. He plans to go to the U.K. for a high performance training camp at the end of the month.
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