World Athletics Championships End with 2 Medals for Host Japan

Tokyo, Sept. 21 (Jiji Press)–The 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo wrapped up its nine-day run on Sunday, with host nation Japan taking two medals. In the men’s 4×100 meters relay final at the Japan National Stadium on the final day, Japan finished sixth with a time of 38.35 seconds, failing to win its first medal in the event in three tournaments. The four Japanese runners were Yuki Koike, 30, Hiroki Yanagita, 22, Yoshihide Kiryu, 29, and Towa Uzawa, 22. The United States won the gold medal, clocking 37.29 seconds. Canada took silver with 37.55 seconds, and the Netherlands bronze with 37.81 seconds. Koike, who ran the first leg, said: “I should have passed the baton (to second runner Yanagita) much ahead. I wanted to win a medal.” Yanagita said: “It was very regrettable. I was not strong enough. I have a lot to do next year and the year after that.” “I got a cramp in my right calf the moment I started running,” Kiryu, who ran the third leg, said. “I was the slowest (among all third runners), so I was responsible (for being unable to win a medal). I could not live up to expectations.” Uzawa, who ran the anchor leg, said: “It’s regrettable. I simply need to improve my speed.” Still, he said, “The atmosphere was fantastic, with great cheers.” The two medals earned by Japan in the 2025 World Athletics Championships were bronze, one by Hayato Katsuki, 34, in the men’s 35-kilometer race walk and the other by Nanako Fujii, 26, in the women’s 20-km race walk. On the final day, the United States won the women’s 4×100 meters relay final. Jamaica came second, and Germany third. In the 4×400 meters relay, Botswana won gold for men, and the United States for women. In the women’s high jump, Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers, 28, bagged the gold medal at 2.00 meters. Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, 24, the gold medalist in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, won bronze at 1.97 meters. Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, were among the spectators at the stadium on the day, watching some events including the 4×400 meters relay finals for both men and women. They watched the events enthusiastically from VIP seats and applauded the athletes. The latest biennial championships attracted a total of more than 600,000 spectators to the stadium over the nine days. The next World Athletics Championships are scheduled to take place in Beijing in 2027. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]