Haruna Kuboyama (Japanese: 久保山 晴菜; born 5 April 1996)[1] is a Japanese sprinter specializing in the 400 metres. She was the 2023 Japanese Champion in the 400 m, and won a bronze medal in the mixed 4 × 400 m relay at the 2023 Asian Championships.

Haruna Kuboyama
Personal information
Native nameJapanese: 久保山 晴菜[1]
Nationality Japan
Born (1996-04-05) 5 April 1996 (age 28)
Home townSaga, Japan[2]
Education
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)400 metres
100 metres
ClubImamura Hospital [d][3]
Achievements and titles
National finals
Personal best(s)100m:
11.55 (+1.5) (2022)

400m:
53.07 (2023)

Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Japan
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Bangkok 400 m
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Bangkok 4 × 400 m mixed
Updated on 20 April 2024

Career

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Beginning as a short sprinter as early as 2014, Kuboyama won the 2018 Japanese University Championships in the 100 metres, running 11.86 into a -2.1 m/s headwind.[1] At her first Japanese Athletics Championships in 2019, she contested the 100 m and 200 m but did not advance to the finals. She also failed to advance to the 100 m finals at the 2020 Japanese Athletics Championships.[1]

Kuboyama switched events to the 400 metres in 2021, debuting at 54.90 and eventually finishing 4th at the 2021 Japanese Athletics Championships in 53.72.[1] After a 3rd-place 400 m finish at the 2022 Japanese Athletics Championships, Kuboyama was named to the Japanese mixed 4 × 400 m team at the 2022 World Championships as an alternate, but she did not get to compete as Japan did not qualify for the finals.[4][1]

Kuboyama achieved her best national results in 2023, winning the 400 m at the national championships and placing 3rd in the 200 m. This earned her selection to Japan's 4 × 400 m, individual 400 m, and mixed 4 × 400 m teams at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships. After finishing 4th in the individual 400 m, she won a bronze medal running second leg of the mixed relay final, setting a Japanese record of 3:15.71 in the process. The following day she also placed 4th leading off the women's 4 × 400 m.[1] [5]

In April 2024, it was revealed that 2023 Asian Championships 400 m silver medallist Fairda Soliyeva of Uzbekistan failed a test for meldonium, disqualifying her and promoting Kuboyama to the bronze medal.[6]

Kuboyama began her 2024 season finishing 4th at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in the 400 m. She finished 8th at the 2024 Diamond League Shanghai outdoors.[1]

Personal life

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Kuboyama is from Saga, Japan where she attended Saga Kita High School [ja] and Fukuoka University.[2] She competes representing Imamura Hospital [d].[3]

Statistics

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Personal best progression

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400m progression
# Mark Pl. Competition Venue Date Ref.
1 54.90   (Round B) Shizuoka International Athletics Meet Fukuroi, Japan 2 May 2021 [7]
2 53.94   Denka Athletics Challenge Cup Niigata, Japan 5 Jun 2021 [8]
3 53.59   (Heat 3) Japanese Athletics Championships Osaka, Japan 23 Jun 2021 [9]
4 53.32   (Heat 2) Japanese Athletics Championships Osaka, Japan 8 Jun 2022 [10]
5 53.24   All Japan Corporate Team Championships Gifu, Japan 23 Sep 2022 [11]
6 53.16   Shizuoka International Athletics Meet Fukuroi, Japan 2 May 2023 [12]
7 53.07   Kinami Michitaka Memorial Athletics Meet Osaka, Japan 5 May 2023 [13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Haruna Kuboyama at Tilastopaja (registration required)
  2. ^ a b "Haruna Kuboyama". Athletics Podium. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "久保山 晴菜:チームJAPAN". 日本陸上競技連盟公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  4. ^ "2022 World Championships Entry List - Japan" (PDF). World Athletics.
  5. ^ "Asian Athletics Championships 2023: Indian Team Wins Gold Medal In 4X400m Mixed Relay". Chase Your Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Aishwarya Mishra's Asian Athletics Championships 2023 bronze in 400m set to be upgraded".
  7. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #12983252". Tilastopaja.
  8. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #12988380". Tilastopaja.
  9. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #12990669". Tilastopaja.
  10. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #13016361". Tilastopaja.
  11. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #13021836". Tilastopaja.
  12. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #13038222". Tilastopaja.
  13. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #13038229". Tilastopaja.
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