Kubo Rin Clinches 800m Victory at Shizuoka International, Secures Spot on World Athletics Team

Seventeen year old sprint prodigy Rin Kubo continues to make athletic history in Japan. At the Shizuoka International Athletics Meet, held at the Ogasayama General Athletic Park Stadium in Fukuroi City, the third-year student from Higashiosaka Daikei High School won the women’s 800m Group 3 (Grand Prix Time Race Final) in a season-best of 2:00.28 to secure her place on the Japanese national team for the World Championships in September in Tokyo.

Kubo’s time surpassed the host nation entry standard of 2:00.99 allowing her to be eligible for selection based on the host nation quota. Though she was slightly disappointed about not cracking the 1:59 barrier, she said: “My aim was to beat the standard. When I saw my time, I thought, ‘I feel frustrated. The host nation quota has passed, so next time I want to be under 1:59.”

Kubo has been Japan’s emerging middle-distance talent since last season. In June, she took her first national title and in July, she ran 1:59.93 to become the first Japanese woman to run under 2:00 in the 800m breaking a national record that had stood for 19 years.

This year, she has continued to impress. In March, she ran 2:40.23 in the 1000m event and broke the U18 and U20 Japanese records. She then ran 2:02.58 in the Kanaguri Memorial in April.

To be fully qualified for the World Championships, Kubo wants to run under 1:59.00 in July and also be finished in the top three or less in a race. Kubo might also qualify based on world rankings or if other national contenders don’t qualify in the meantime before August 24.

With her current form and determination, Kubo Rin isn’t just chasing records, she’s chasing global recognition.