Momoko Takahashi
Encyclopedia
Momoko Takahashi (Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...

: 高橋萌木子; born 16 November 1988 in Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...

) is a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

 athlete who specialises in sprinting events. She has represented Japan twice at the World Championships in Athletics (2007 and 2009) and won relay medals at the Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...

 in both 2006 and 2010. She was the 200 m gold medallist at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships
2009 Asian Athletics Championships
The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09....

.

A Japanese junior record holder, she is the country's second fastest ever runner over both 100 metres and 200 metres, behind Chisato Fukushima
Chisato Fukushima
Chisato Fukushima is a track and field sprint athlete who competes internationally for Japan. She is the Japanese record holder in the women's 100 metres and 200 metres....

. Her bests for the events are 11.32 seconds and 23.15 seconds, respectively. She is a joint holder of the Japanese record
Japanese records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Japan maintained by Japan's Association of Athletics Federations .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distance# = not officially ratified...

 in the 4×100 metres relay.

Career

While studying at Saitama Sakae High School, she represented the school in the sprints and in 2005 she won the 100 metres at the national high school championships and then the 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...

 at the National Sports Festival of Japan
National Sports Festival of Japan
is the national premier sports event of Japan. The abbreviated name is Kokutai . The 65th National Sports Festival of Japan was held in October 2010 in Chiba Prefecture.- Emperor's Cup and Empress Cup Champions :...

. In 2006, she established herself with a Japanese junior and high school record of 11.54 seconds for the 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...

. A third place in the event at that year's Japanese Athletics Championships brought her selection for the 2006 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2006 Asian Games
An Athletics competition was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 7 to December 12. Twenty-three events were contested for the men while 22 were on the slate for the women. Only the 3000 Meter Steeplechase was not contested for by the women...

. She was sixth in the 100 m final and won a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....

 with the Japanese women's 4×100 metres relay team, finishing behind China.

Takahashi claimed her first national title at the 2007 Japanese Championships, reaching the top of the podium in the women's 100 m. She competed at the 2007 Summer Universiade
2007 Summer Universiade
The 2007 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXIV Summer Universiade, took place in Bangkok, Thailand.-Medal table:-External links:***...

 and ran the 100 m individual and relay events at Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

's 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...

, although she did not make it past the heats in either competition. She won a relay medal at the 2007 Asian Athletics Championships that year, as the Japanese were runners-up to Thailand. The 2008 season was not as productive for her, as she was fourth nationally and did not get selected for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but she did improve her 200 m best to 23.48 seconds.

The 2009 Japanese Championships showed a resurgence in Takahashi's form: she was second to Chisato Fukushima
Chisato Fukushima
Chisato Fukushima is a track and field sprint athlete who competes internationally for Japan. She is the Japanese record holder in the women's 100 metres and 200 metres....

's national record run over 200 m, but took the 100 m title after her rival withdrew with an injury. Competing on the world stage for a second time, she ran in the heats of the 100 m, 200 m, and 4×100 m relay of the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....

. A medal came at the 2009 Summer Universiade
Athletics at the 2009 Summer Universiade
The athletics competition at the 2009 Summer Universiade was held at the Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade, Serbia from July 7 to July 12, 2009.-Men's events:In Long Jump, Kim Deok-Hyeon's record is not unofficial....

 (100 m silver) and she ended the year as the continental champion, having won gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...

s in the 200 m and relay at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships
2009 Asian Athletics Championships
The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09....

. These performances were part of a Japanese sweep of the women's sprints, as her team mates Fukushima and Asami Tanno
Asami Tanno
née Tanno is a Japanese sprinter who specialises in the 400 metres. She is the Japanese record holder in the event, and has also broken the national record in the 4×400 metres relay on multiple occasions...

 won the 100 m and 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...

 titles respectively. Takahashi also set her first Japanese national record
Japanese records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Japan maintained by Japan's Association of Athletics Federations .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distance# = not officially ratified...

 that year, as she anchored home a 4×100 m relay team of Saori Kitakaze
Saori Kitakaze
is a Japanese track and field sprint athlete who specializes in the 100 metres. She is the joint Japanese record holder in the 4×100 m relay, having run a time of 43.39 seconds alongside Momoko Takahashi, Chisato Fukushima and Kana Ichikawa at the 2011 Seiko Golden Grand Prix.He first...

, Fukushima and Mayumi Watanabe in a time of 43.58 seconds at the Osaka Grand Prix
Osaka Grand Prix
The Osaka Grand Prix was an annual international athletics competition held annually in Osaka, Japan from 1996 to 2010. Formerly part of the IAAF Grand Prix and the IAAF World Challenge , it was replaced in 2011 by the Golden Grand Prix Kawasaki...

.

The 2010 Japanese nationals saw a reversal of the previous year, as Takahashi won the 200 m but was runner-up to Fukushima over 100 m. She was one of the Asia-Pacific team's representatives at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup
2010 IAAF Continental Cup
The 1st IAAF Continental Cup was an international track and field sporting event held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations. Originally scheduled as the 11th IAAF World Cup in Athletics, it was renamed in 2008 when the IAAF revamped the competition format...

, but she finished last in the 200 m, while the Japanese women's relay team that she anchored met a similar fate. She did not manage an individual medal at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010. A total of 47 events were contested, 24 by men and 23 by women - matching the Olympic athletics programme...

 in November (coming fourth and sixth in the 100 m and 200 m finals), but she helped a Japanese quartet claim a bronze medal in the short relay.

Her 2011 began with a new national relay record at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix, where she, Saori Kitakaze
Saori Kitakaze
is a Japanese track and field sprint athlete who specializes in the 100 metres. She is the joint Japanese record holder in the 4×100 m relay, having run a time of 43.39 seconds alongside Momoko Takahashi, Chisato Fukushima and Kana Ichikawa at the 2011 Seiko Golden Grand Prix.He first...

, Fukushima and Kana Ichikawa knocked nearly two-tenths off the previous time with their run of 43.39 seconds.

International competitions

2006 Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...

Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...

, Qatar
6th 100 m
2nd 4×100 m relay
2007 Asian Championships Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...

, Jordan
2nd 4×100 m relay
World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...

Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

, Japan
4th (heats) 100 m
DSQ 4×100 m relay
2007 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 x 100 metres relay
The women's 4 x 100 metre relay at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Nagai Stadium on 1 September.-Medalists:* Runners who participated in the heats only and received medals.-Schedule:-Heats:...

2009 Universiade
2009 Summer Universiade
The 2009 Summer Universiade, officially known as the XXV Summer Universiade were celebrated in Belgrade, Serbia from 1 July to 12 July 2009. The event has also been organised by a range of co-host cities mostly in Vojvodina , close to Belgrade. It was the largest sporting event ever to be organised...

Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...

, Serbia
2nd 200 m
World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....

Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...

, Germany
4th (heats) 100 m
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 100 metres
The women's 100 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 16 and August 17. The Jamaican team had three strong contenders for the 100 m title in reigning champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, and Kerron Stewart...

7th (heats) 200 m
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 200 metres
The women's 200 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 19, 20 and 21 August. Allyson Felix of USA won the race.-Medalists:-Records:-Qualification standards:-Schedule:-Heats:...

4th (heats) 4×100 m relay
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 x 100 metres relay
The women's 4 x 100 metres relay at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 21 and August 22.-Medalists:-Records:Prior to the competition, the following records were as follows....

Asian Championships
2009 Asian Athletics Championships
The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09....

Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...

, China
1st 200 m
1st 4×100 m relay
2010 Continental Cup
2010 IAAF Continental Cup
The 1st IAAF Continental Cup was an international track and field sporting event held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations. Originally scheduled as the 11th IAAF World Cup in Athletics, it was renamed in 2008 when the IAAF revamped the competition format...

Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...

, Croatia
8th 200 m
4th 4×100 m relay
Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010. A total of 47 events were contested, 24 by men and 23 by women - matching the Olympic athletics programme...

Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...

, China
4th 100 m
6th 200 m
3rd 4×100 m relay

External links

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