6th in the 1500 m at the last World U20 Championships, Yuya Sawada of Hamamatsu Shiritsu H.S. has achieved the required score on the English test needed for her to enter Louisiana State University.
Sawada was 5th in the 1500 m at the National Junior High School Championships her 3rd year at Hosoe J.H.S. while still a member of the school's basketball team. She started running seriously in 2021 during her first year of high school and made it to the National High School Championships in the 3000 m that year. Her second year she made the 1500 m final at the National Track and Field Championships, placing 10th, then went on to take 6th at the Cali World U20 Championships in Colombia in 4:12.87, the 2nd-fastest time ever by a high schooler.
Selected as an athlete with international potential, Sawada was later named to the JAAF's Diamond Athlete support program, receiving education in areas like leadership and English. Her performance at the World U20 Championships attracted the attention of several overseas university coaches, and she received multiple offers. After visiting universities both in Japan and overseas she decided on Louisiana State. She plans to move to the U.S. for school this summer and will stay in her hometown in Shizuoka until then to keep training at Hamamatsu Shiritsu in prep for competitions like June's National Championships.
Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the prestigious Louisiana State University was founded in 1860. Known as the "Fighting Tigers," its track and field program is one of the best in the United States, competing in the NCAA Division 1. Graduates include men's pole vault world record holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden, and high jumper/long jumper JaVaughn Harrison is a standout among current students. Along with four national titles in American football, LSU is also strong in both baseball and basketball. NBA star Shaquille O'Neal is one of its most famous alumni.
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Tomoka Kiumura ran 4:16:69 at the Canberra Classic in Australia the other day. Ran Urabe 4:24.64 and Saki Katagihara 4:38.06. Sawada would have won the race with that time!
https://meets.rosterathletics.com/public/competitions/details/results?id=24437&meId=175573#title-anchor