Haruka Kitaguchi shows off her Olympic gold medal and Diamond League final trophy in Tokyo on Monday.
13:02 JST, September 17, 2024
Olympic javelin champion Haruka Kitaguchi is determined to break the Asian record next season, she said at a press conference in Tokyo on Monday upon her return to Japan.
Kitaguchi, who is back in Japan for the first time in two months, won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics and added a victory in the Diamond League Final. “I didn’t do so well at the beginning of the season, so it’s great for me to be able to win important competitions,” she said.
Kitaguchi said she was disappointed not to have achieved her personal best, but that she plans to improve. “Next season I want to break the Asian record.”
After competing in a series of European tournaments in the Czech Republic, she said she was “tired and wanted to rest and recharge.” She will not compete any more as the off-season begins.
A homecoming parade is planned for October 13 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido.
“When I come back, I want to eat ramen, sushi and other delicious food from Hokkaido,” she said.
