Japanese gent crushed three M90 WRs at WMA Asian regionals

Middle-distance star Yoshimitsu Miyauchi

We’re just now learning about world records set at the Asian Masters Athletics Championships — even though WMA brass were on the scene and could have flogged the news on their website. Anyway, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun mega-newspaper reports: “The five-day competition featured 2,900 athletes from 24 countries and regions, including 1,944 Japanese. The oldest Japanese participant was Hidekichi Miyazaki, 104, from Kyoto Prefecture. Yoshimitsu Miyauchi, 90, from southern Kagoshima Prefecture, set world records in the 800 meters, 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters for those between 90 and 94.” His times were 3:50.25, 8:07.09 and 29:59.94, according to the crazy-ass results site (Use Google Chrome to see translation. Click on event number for results.) Yoshi smashed the listed WRs of 4:04.85 (Holger Josefsson of Sweden), 8:07.17 (Holger again) and 31:25.45 (Gordon Porteous of Britain). Nice job! (Yoshi’s been setting records for years, BTW.)

Here’s the whole story from AMA:

Hisamitsu Hijiya was given just months to live a decade ago. But the green-pepper farmer from Kijo, Miyazaki Prefecture, determined to make his mark in track and field, refused to succumb to cancer.

At the age of 83, Hijiya anchored the Japanese men’s team that won gold in the 4×400 meter relay on the final day of the 18th Asia Masters Athletics Championships.

“It is important to continuously practice,” the elderly man said. “By trial and error, I have been seeking a better way to link (my athlete life) with agricultural work and lifestyle.”

The competition in Iwate Prefecture wrapped up on Sept. 23.

In August, Guinness World Records recognized Japanese as the world’s oldest living male and female. A month later, Japanese in their 80s and 90s reached for the top in sports.

The five-day competition featured 2,900 athletes from 24 countries and regions, including 1,944 Japanese.

The oldest Japanese participant was Hidekichi Miyazaki, 104, from Kyoto Prefecture.

Yoshimitsu Miyauchi, 90, from southern Kagoshima Prefecture, set world records in the 800 meters, 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters for those between 90 and 94.

Hijiya and the men’s 4×400 meter relay team won in the 80-84 age group in 6 minutes and 16.34 seconds, more than a minute faster than the second-place Chinese team.

Koji Uchida, 81, from Yamaguchi Prefecture, started the race for the Japanese team and surged into the lead, but the second runner, Shinichi Saijo, 84, who lives in Hokkaido, was passed by the Chinese runner. Hidehiko Higo, 80, from Kagoshima Prefecture, regained the lead for the Japanese, and Hijiya secured the victory.

Hijiya said he always tries to fully use the muscles in his arms and lower back for strength training when swinging a mattock in his green-pepper field.

“It frustrates me to think that other players are training in athletic fields while I am working on the farm,” he said.

After daytime work, Hijiya walks 2.5 kilometers in 19 minutes every evening.

When he was 63 years old, Hijiya was asked by a friend to train together, and he resumed running for the first time in several decades.

At the age of 73, Hijiya’s physician said gastric cancer would kill him within six months.

He rejected the doctor’s prognosis.

After the total removal of his stomach, he underwent two years of rehabilitation. At 78, Hijiya broke the previous national record in the 200 meters, and then set world records in the 200 meters with a time of 29.94 seconds, and the 400 meters at age 81.

Hijiya said his next goal is an age-group world record in the 100 meters.

“It all depends on myself, whether I will be able to fulfill my infinite potential,” he said. “I always feel excited in making efforts to achieve the next goal.”