Ryoichi Akamatsu (Japanese: 赤松 諒一; born 2 May 1995), also spelled Ryōichi Akamatsu, is a Japanese high jumper from Gifu Prefecture. He is a two-time Asian Indoor Champion in the high jump, and he won the 2023 Japanese Athletics Championships before placing 8th at the World Championships that year.

Ryoichi Akamatsu
Personal information
Native nameJapanese: 赤松 諒一[1]
Full nameRyōichi Akamatsu
Nationality Japan
Born (1995-05-02) 2 May 1995 (age 29)[1][2]
Gifu Prefecture[3]
Education
Height184 cm (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Weight60 kg (132 lb)[2]
Sport
SportAthletics
EventHigh jump
Coached byRyohei Hayashi[5]
Achievements and titles
National finals
Personal bestHJ:
2.30 m (2023)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Japan
Asian Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Astana High jump
Gold medal – first place 2024 Tehran High jump
China–Japan–Korea Friendship Meeting
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Gimcheon High jump
Updated on 20 February 2024

Career

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Akamatsu began high jumping as early as 2013, when he finished 3rd at the Japanese high school championships representing Kano High School [ja].[6] Until 2022, he had only jumped twice outside of Japan — once at the Taiwan Athletics Open Meeting in 2016, and once at the 2019 China–Japan–Korea Friendship Athletic Meeting in South Korea where he finished 3rd.[7][8]

By tying for 3rd place at the 2022 Japanese Athletics Championships, Akamatsu was selected to represent Japan for the first time at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.[9] At the championships, he placed 19th in qualification and did not advance to the finals.[5][10]

After winning his first national title at the 2023 Japanese Indoor Championships, Akamatsu competed at the 2023 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, where he won the gold medal.[11] He defended his title at the 2023 Japanese Athletics Championships, earning him qualification to represent Japan at the Asian Championships where he finished 5th. Following that competition, he set his personal best of 2.30 metres at the Twilight Games in Tokyo, making him the 6th-highest Japanese jumper in history.[3]

At the 2023 World Championships, Akamatsu qualified for his first global final and finished 8th.[12][13][14] He didn't jump as high in the finals as he did in the preliminary round, claiming he was overworked.[15] He ended his season at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, finishing tied for 2nd in qualification and 6th in the final.[16]

In February 2024, Akamatsu defended his Asian Indoor Championships high jump title in Tehran.[17]

Personal life

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Born in Gifu Prefecture, Akamatsu attended Kano High School [ja] and studied Gifu University for college and graduate school.[3] He played basketball as a child, and the feeling of doing a layup inspired him to compete in the high jump. He works as a data engineer and research student at Gifu University of Medical Science, where part of his research is focused on improving jumping technique in his event.[3]

Akamatsu enjoys camping in his free time, most often in Meihō, Gifu. He started playing Pokémon games after seeing Shunya Takayama and Shuhei Ishikawa playing the Pokémon Trading Card Game at the 2023 Asian Games.[3]

Statistics

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Personal best progression

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High Jump progression
# Mark Pl. Competition Venue Date Ref.
1 2.10 m   Japanese High School Championships Oita, Japan 1 Aug 2013 [6]
2 2.11 m   Gifu, Japan 12 Sep 2014 [18]
3 2.18 m   Gifu, Japan 10 Oct 2014 [19]
4 2.25 m   Osaka Japanese University Championships Osaka, Japan 13 Sep 2015 [20]
5 2.28 m   Yokosuka City Autumn Meeting Yokosuka, Japan 2 Nov 2020 [21]
6 2.29 m   Japanese Athletics Championships Osaka, Japan 3 Jun 2023 [22]
7 2.30 m   Twilight Games Tokyo, Japan 21 Jul 2023 [23]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Japan Association of Athletics Federations. "赤松 諒一:日本陸上競技連盟公式サイト". 日本陸上競技連盟公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Ryoichi Akamatsu at Tilastopaja (registration required)
  3. ^ a b c d e f "RYOICHI AKAMATSU | TOKYO FORWARD 2025". Tokyo Foward 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  4. ^ ほぼニートの資格取得日記(マラソン編) (28 June 2019). "【日中韓3カ国交流陸上 2019年6月15日】結果・速報(リザルト)". ほぼニートの資格取得日記(マラソン編) (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Mr. Ryoichi Akamatsu attended Preliminary Competition in 2022 World Athletics Championships|News | GIFU UNIVERSITY". www.gifu-u.ac.jp. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Athletics recap for meeting #12844085". Tilastopaja.
  7. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #12873856". Tilastopaja.
  8. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #12933148". Tilastopaja.
  9. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #13016361". Tilastopaja.
  10. ^ "Mr. Ryoichi Akamatsu at Preliminary Competition in 2022 World Athletics Championships|News | GIFU UNIVERSITY". www.gifu-u.ac.jp. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #13027999". Tilastopaja.
  12. ^ 日本放送協会 (23 August 2023). "陸上世界選手権 赤松諒一 男子走り高跳びの決勝で8位入賞 | NHK". NHKニュース. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  13. ^ "男子走高跳 赤松諒一が2m25で8位 日本勢2大会連続入賞【世界陸上ブダペスト】 | TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ)". TBS NEWS DIG (in Japanese). 23 August 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  14. ^ 藤塚大輔. "【世界陸上】"三刀流ジャンパー"赤松諒一、8位入賞!「悔しいと思えるのは成長」走り高跳び - 陸上 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  15. ^ 寛太, 小川 (23 August 2023). "男子走り高跳びの赤松8位、ミス悔やむ 世界陸上". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Highlights of athletics at 19th Asian Games-Xinhua". english.news.cn. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  17. ^ 共同通信社. "【陸上】走り高跳び・赤松諒一はV2 準決勝で日本タイ記録出した多田修平2位 アジア室内選手権 - 陸上 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #12858461". Tilastopaja.
  19. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #12857836". Tilastopaja.
  20. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #12863936". Tilastopaja.
  21. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #undefined". Tilastopaja.
  22. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #13041994". Tilastopaja.
  23. ^ "Athletics recap for meeting #13045548". Tilastopaja.
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