Japan’s rising star in men’s 100m, Sorato Shimizu, a third-year high school student from Ishikawa Prefecture’s Seiryo High School, is set to challenge Noah Lyles (28, USA), the double gold medalist at last September’s World Championships in Tokyo. The Seiko Golden Grand Prix, featuring both domestic and international athletes, will be held on May 17 at the MUFG Stadium in Tokyo. Shimizu, who set the U18 world record of 10.00 seconds in July last year, aims to become the fifth Japanese sprinter to break the 10-second barrier as he steps onto the starting line.
The 17-year-old, the youngest participant in the tournament, eagerly anticipates this dream matchup against the “world’s strongest sprinter.” Shimizu is a prodigy in sprinting. Last summer, he clocked 10.00 seconds at the National High School Championships, updating the previous high school record set by Yoshihide Kiryu in 2013 by 0.01 seconds. In his final year of high school, his goal is to become the youngest Japanese to enter the 9-second club, surpassing Abdul Hakim Sani Brown’s record of 20 years and 2 months.
Originally scheduled for the first race of the season on April 29 at the Oda Memorial International, Shimizu withdrew due to discomfort in the back of his right knee during practice the day before. “First, I want to fully eliminate this pain, then compete in various events without any worries,” he said. He also skipped the Shizuoka International 200m on May 3. Prioritizing the race against Lyles, Shimizu chose to rest even though he felt capable of running.
Lyles shone at the Tokyo World Championships, winning medals in three events, including being selected for the 4x100m relay team. Shimizu’s coach, Yuki Nishino, spoke for him: “Shimizu was really looking forward to the three Grand Prix events (Oda Memorial, Shizuoka International, Seiko). He was fully motivated to compete.”
Last year’s season opener was the U18 Asian Championships in mid-April, where he won with a wind-assisted 10.38 seconds. This year’s debut race comes about a month later than usual, but if he can stay close to Lyles, a time near his personal best is expected.
“My target is to run under 10 seconds and win the national championships,” Shimizu said. Facing the absolute champion will be a valuable experience for his growth.
Sorato Shimizu was born on February 8, 2009, in Ishikawa Prefecture. He started track and field in fourth grade and attended Nagata Junior High before moving to Seiryo High School. In his second year, he clocked 10.00 seconds in the boys’ 100m at the National High School Championships and represented Japan in the men’s 4x100m relay at the Tokyo World Championships. His father, Masao, placed fourth in the high jump at the National Sports Festival. His mother, Emi, competed in the Japan Championships in the 100m hurdles. His sister, Yuna, participated in the Inter-Collegiate Championships in the 400m hurdles. Shimizu stands 164 cm tall and weighs 56 kg.
In the men’s 100m, seven athletes are entered, with four having run sub-10 seconds: Lyles (silver at Tokyo Worlds), Breake (Canada, silver in 4x100m), Moore (USA), and Kiryu. Lyles, with a personal best of 9.79, is in a class of his own. Kiryu, who has run 9.98, the third-fastest in Japanese history, seeks to repeat his performance from last July’s national championship win and his 9.99 from August. Three younger athletes also share a personal best of 10.00, drawing attention. The youngest, 17-year-old Shimizu, aims to become the youngest Japanese to break 10 seconds. First-year professionals Mamoru and Yanagida, who represented Japan in the World Relays this month, are also strong contenders.
