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Japan's Team Performance at World U20 Championships


There wasn't much surprise in the events where Japan did well at the Oregon World U20 Championships, with medals in the men's 110 mH, 400 mH and 3000 m, and top 5 finishes in the women's and men's 5000 m race walks, men's 4x100 m relay, men's pole vault and long jump, men's 200 m, women's 800 m and 3000 m, and women's javelin throw.

Jeremy Koga ran a 12.95 (+0.3) Asian U20 AR in the men's 110 mH semifinals, then came back in the final with a 12.97 (+0.7) in the final to take silver behind a brilliant 12.72 U20 WR by American Le'Ezra Brown. Taiju Goto was expected to medal in the men's 400 mH, but after leading the semifinals the best he could do was silver in 49.23, gold going to the Czech Republic's Michal Rada with a 48.59 European U20 AR. Expected to do better in the 1500 m, Ojiro Honda ran a 7:48.49 U20 NR in the men's 3000 m final to score bronze, only to come in near the back of the field in the 1500 m final at 14th in 3:51.59.


In the race walks 3 of the 4 Japanese athletes to finish made the top 5 with new PBs, Ibuki Hori ad Harumi Tabata 4th and 5th in the women's race in 21:36.62 and 21:57.99, and Naoto Roppongi 4th in the men's race in 19:24.43. No luck for the JPN men's 4x100 m relay, where they were 4th in 39.41 in a fast race that saw a new 38.16 U20 WR from the U.S.A. team. One of the few surprises was Naoya Inoue in the men's pole vault, 4th at 5.45 m, the same height cleared by American bronze medalist Isaiah Whitaker.

5th place finishes went to Tomoro Ide in the men's 200 m in 20.67 (+0.1), NR holder Rin Kubo in the women's 800 m in 2:04.00, Yua Nagamori in the women's 3000 m in an excellent 8:56.93 PB, Eito Omori in the men's long jump with an equally excellent 7.76 m (+1.3) PB, and Ayaka Suzuki in the women's javelin throw with a 51.80 m best attempt. Other top 8 placings included Yui Onotora in the women's 5000 m, Sota Koga in the men's 3000 mSC, and Ryo Kurimura in the men's 5000 m.


Last time around in Lima 2024 the Japanese U20 team scored one silver, two bronzes, one 4th, five 5ths, two 6ths, one 7th and two 8ths. Its total this time of two silvers, one bronze, four 4ths, six 5ths, two 7ths and one 8th looks like progress over the last two years. In an online presentation at the start of this Olympic cycle to coaches, agents, and other people in the Japanese athletics industry the JAAF said that one area it would be looking at as a metric of peak performance at international championships was the number of athletes who delivered PBs. Seven of the nine Japanese athletes who made top 5 in Oregon did it with a PB, so in that regard at least the JAAF will probably be giving a pretty favorable evaluation of the national team's performance, even if gold is still out of reach and women came up short of a medal.

World Athletics U20 Championships

Japanese Results
Oregon, U.S.A., 5-9 Aug. 2026

1. Le'Ezra Brown (U.S.A.) - 12.72 - U20 WR
2. Jeremy Koga (Japan) - 12.97
3. Zacchaeus Brocks (U.S.A.) - 12.98

1. Michal Rada (Czech Republic) - 48.59 - U20 AR
2. Taiju Goto (Japan) - 49.23
3. Matodzi Ndo (South Africa) - 49.90

1. Emmanuel Kiprono - 7:28.28 - MR
2. Alois Abraham (France) - 7:47.79
3. Ojiro Honda (Japan) - 7:48.49 - U20 NR
-----
11. Haruki Niizuma (Japan) - 7:54.30 - PB

1. Serena Di Fabio (Italy) - 20:57.57 - MR
2. Chloe Le Roch (France) - 21:17.92 - U20 NR
3. Yutong Yang (China) - 21:31.99
-----
4. Ibuki Hori (Japan) - 21:36.62 - PB
5. Harumi Tabata (Japan) - 21:57.99 - PB

1. Isaac Beacroft (Australia) - 18:40.37 - U20 WR
2. Huajia Pu (China) - 18:43.70 - U20 AR
3. Nicolo Vidal (Italy) - 18:56.19
-----
4. Naoto Roppongi (Japan) - 19:24.43 - PB
DQ - Toshiya Inoue (Japan)

1. U.S.A. - 38.16 - U20 WR
2. Great Britain - 38.90 - U20 AR (tie)
3. Jamaica - 39.01
-----
4. Japan - 39.41

1. Zackaria Dia (France) - 5.80 m
2. Henri Apri (Estonia) - 5.75 m - U20 NR
3. Isaiah Whitaker (U.S.A.) - 5.45 m
-----
4. Naoya Inoue (Japan) - 5.45 m
9. Kaito Taniguchi (Japan) - 5.20 m

1. Tate Taylor (U.S.A.) - 19.83 - MR
2. Blake Hamilton (U.S.A.) - 20.31
3. Jayden Green (Barbados) - 20.55
-----
5. Tomoro Ide (Japan) - 20.67

1. Ziva Remic (Slovenia) - 2:03.03
2. Ioulianna Roussou (Greece) - 2:03.08
3. Shaikira King (Great Britain) - 2:03.52
-----
5. Rin Kubo (Japan) - 2:04.00

1. Yordanos Tsigab (Ethiopia) - 8:43.65
2. Shito Gumi (Ethiopia) - 8:45.06
3. Charity Cherop (Uganda) - 8:45.59
-----
5. Yua Nagamori (Japan) - 8:56.93 - PB
20. Nodoka Ashida (Japan) - 9:24.85

1. Daniele Leonardo Inzoli (Italy) - 7.97 m (+0.7)
2. Mason McGroder (Australia) - 7.96 m (+0.5)
3. Shahnavaz Khan (India) - 7.84 m (+1.4)
-----
5. Eito Omori (Japan) - 7.76 m (+1.3) - PB

1. Aseel Osama Abdel Hamid (Egypt) - 59.82 m
2. Vita Barbic (Croatia) - 56.60 m
3. Yu-Chin Tai (Taiwan) - 54.34 m
-----
5. Ayaka Suzuki (Japan) - 51.80 m

1. Charity Cherop (Uganda) - 15:03.88
2. Shito Gumi (Ethiopia) - 15:07.91
3. Joyline Chepkemoi (Kenya) - 15:09.08
-----
7. Yui Onotora (Japan) - 15:37.33
14. Ayami Yoshida (Japan) - 16:12.76

1. Bakr El Asri (Spain) - 8:28.35 - U20 AR
2. Emmanuel Lemiso Someki (Kenya) - 8:32.81
3. Nicholas Kitum Losiwareng (Kenya) - 8:38.05
-----
7. Sota Koga (Japan) - 8:49.72

1. Frankline Kibet (Kenya) - 13:28.27
2. Nehemiah Kipngeno (Kenya) - 13:30.09
3. Damitew Kebede (Ethiopia) - 13:35.38
-----
8. Ryo Kurimura (Japan) - 13:48.85
DNS - Yota Mashiko (Japan)

1. Jan-Hendrik Heymans (South Africa) - 80.50 m
2. Ashish Yadav (India) - 74.09 m
3. Addison James (Dominica) - 73.89 m - U20 NR
-----
9. Leon Iwasaka (Japan) - 66.75 m

1. Jiawei Chen (China) - 79.16 m
2. Kayden Hulet (U.S.A.) - 77.55 m
3. Wyatt Larkins (Great Britain) - 75.38 m
-----
9. Andrew Atuobeng (Japan) - 71.87 m

1. Almaz Yohannis (Ethiopia) - 9:15.81
2. Wosane Asefa (Ethiopia) - 9:30.50
3. Natasha Cheptoo (Kenya) - 9:37.18
-----
10. Rei Taya (Japan) - 10:12.37

1. Josephine Sembeyo Mancha (Kenya) - 4:16.73
2. Claire Stegall (U.S.A.). 4:16.77
3. Caren Chepchirchir (Kenya) - 4:17.50
-----
11. Miori Kida (Japan) - 4:25.19
15. Sherry Drury (Japan) - 4:29.70

1. Younes Ayachi (Algeria) - 2.21 m
2. Basant (India) - 2.21 m
3. Otis Poole (Great Britain) - 2.21 m
-----
12. Yudai Sechi (Japan) - 2.12 m

1. Wilson Chepkwech (Kenya) - 3:37.46
2. David Kapaiko Sekento (Kenya) - 3:38.32
3. Osama Er Redouani (Morocco) - 3:39.68
-----
14. Ojiro Honda (Japan) - 3:51.59

1. Liam Belo Da Silva (Sweden ) - 8112
2. Mikai Snoek (Netherlands) - 7887
3. Adam Julius (Czech Republic) - 7877
-----
25. Kiichi Miyashita - 6946

Non-Qualifiers

1. Tumi Ramokgopa (South Africa) - 56.80 - Q
2. Rebekka Feirle (Germany) - 56.80 - Q
3. Kei-Mahri Hanna (Bahamas) - 57.55 - Q
-----
4. Rachel Gardner (Japan) - 57.80

1. Daryl Ndasi (Germany) - 13.10 - Q
2. Tori Goodson (U.S.A.) - 13.16 - Q
3. Alessia Succo (Italy) - 13.17 - Q
-----
6. Saki Nikaido (Japan) - 13.54

1. Tate Taylor (U.S.A.) - 10.06 - Q
2. Jake Odey-Jordan (Great Britain) - 10.24 - Q
3. Bright Otiora (Belgium) - 10.32 - Q
-----
7. Hiroto Shinozaki (Japan) - 10.43

1. Gary Card (Jamaica) - 10.16 - Q
2. D.I.M. Roslee (Malaysia) - 10.36 - Q
3. Richard Machata (Slovakia) - 10.38 - Q
-----
8. Kai Sugano (Japan) - 10.43

1. Tumi Ramokgopa (South Africa) - 13.02 - Q
2. Hana Sekne (Slovenia) - 13.18 - Q
3. Laura Frlkickova (Slovakia) - 13.22 - Q
-----
8. Saki Fujita (Japan) - 13.61

1. Le'Ezra Brown - 12.82 - Q
2. Koray Uygun (Turkey) - 13.16 - Q
3. Phenyo Miyen (South Africa) - 12.18 - Q
-----
8. Maito Kamakura (Japan) - 13.52

1. Michal Rada (Czech Republic) - 49.67 - Q
2. Lesibe Dikgale (South Africa) - 50.50 - Q
3. Ethan Dewhirst (Ireland) - 50.53 - Q
-----
8. Ryo Chiba (Japan) - 52.37

1. Tate Taylor (U.S.A.) - 21.02 - Q
2. Mayo Alabi (Great Britain) - 21.15 - Q
3. Bartosz Pytlik (Poland) - 21.17 - Q
-----
4. Hikari Osinachi Abraham (Japan) - 21.18

1. Chenyi Ma (China) - 57.72 m - Q
2. Favour Adesokan (Germany) - 56.14 m - Q
3. Jaslene Massey (U.S.A.) - 55.47 m - Q
4. Able Mills (Jamaica) - 53.37 m - q
5. Karmen-Elizabeth Maritz (New Zealand) - 52.88 m - q
6. Amanat Kamboj (India) - 52.58 m - q
-----
7. Koko Konda (Japan) - 51.53 m

1. Nicholas Kitum Losiwareng (Kenya) - 8:45.26 - Q
2. Mohamed Ali Hamdi (Tunisia) - 8:47.76 - Q
3. Soheib Dissa (Algeria) - 8:48.60 - Q
4. Bakr El Asri (Spain) - 8:48.65 - Q
5. Adam Cervinka (Czech Republic) - 8:48.67 - Q
6. Levin Saveur (Germany) - 8:50.12 - Q
7. Michal Gajdus (Poland) - 8:50.45 - Q
8. Basile Astier (France) - 8:50.78 - Q
-----
9. Takumi Sugimoto (Japan) - 8:51.57

1. Younes Ayachi (Algeria) - 2.14 m - q
2. Samuel James (Great Britain) - 2.14 m - q
3. Alberto Marzola (Italy) - 2.14 m - q
4. Maddox Krotzer (U.S.A.) - 2.14 m - q
5. Charalampos Alivizatos (Greece) - 2.14 m - q
6. Joshua Harel (Israel) - 2.14 m - q
7. David Brown (Jamaica) - 2.14 m - q
-----
9. Keigo Nakamura (Japan) - 2.10 m

1. Vita Barbic (Croatia) - 56.29 m - Q
2. Yu-Chin Tai (Taiwan) - 53.91 m - Q
3. Emily Harbach (U.S.A.) - 52.98 m - Q
4. Stephane Hook (South Africa) - 49.23 m - q
5. Ziva Kriz (Slovenia) - 49.22 m - q
-----
9. Ayuto Kurokawa (Japan) - 47.76

DNS - Koki Hasebe (Japan)

© 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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Anonymous said…
Out of the Women's performances I thought the three that caught my eye were Yua Nagamori in the 3000m with her PB 8:56.93 5th place, Yui Onotora in the 5000m finishing 7th and Miori Kida in the 1500m finishing 11th in a field where nearly all the athletes were faster than her on paper. Miori Kida may soon surpass her 4th yr senior Airi Tajima at Juntendo Uni. She's had a great season so far. Yua Nagamori was remarkable and one I'll be watching closely in the future. Slightly disappointing was Rin Kubo, who never looked a chance to win in the 800m final and didn't live up to the high bar she has set for herself by being the National record holder in the event. Similarly disappointing but not surprising was the run from Sherry Drury in the 1500m final. She hasn't looked anywhere close to the athlete she was when she first burst onto the scene and I'm not convinced her training environment in the US will turn things around for her. We will see? I'll be interested to see how Rin Kubo races and handles the pressure in the upcoming Asian Games and if she can redeem herself on home soil.
August 10, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Anonymous said…
I thought Yui Onotora was fantastic and Yua Nagamori was phenomenal.
Yua's time is the fastest by a non-African U18 for almost 9 years (!) and the fastest by a Japanese U20 since Nozomi Tanaka's 8:54 in 2018 when she won World U20s. Yua is a special talent, even in Japan which has no shortage of highly-talented distance girls.
August 10, 2026 at 3:32 PM
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