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USATF Junior Hammer Throw Champ Joy McArthur Takes Japanese Citizenship


World Athletics has approved the nationality change of hammer thrower Joy McArthur from U.S.A. to Japan, effective Feb. 23 this year.

McArthur, 22, is currently in graduate school at the University of Southern California. While at California's Dana Hills H.S. she won the 2016 USATF Junior hammer title with a throw of 62.07 m, going on to finish 9th at the U20 World Championships the same year. In university she had problems with injury, but last April she threw a PB of 65.43 m, just over 2 m short of the Japanese national record. At the USATF National Championships she threw 63.94 m for 20th. According to an involved source, McArthur has already registered with the JAAF and will be targeting making the Japanese national team for future international competitions.

McArthur's father Eric McArthur is a well-known basketball player who was named Japan Basketball League MVP and who represented Japan at the Asian Games after taking Japanese citizenship. Her mother Akiko is Japanese. Her brother Eric Jr. plays basketball professionally for the Iwate Big Bulls and her sister Maya has represented Japan internationally on the U19 basketball national team.

source article:
translated and edited by Brett Larner

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