Sumire Kita (Japanese: 喜田 純鈴; born 11 January 2001) is a retired Japanese individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2016 Asian Junior all-around champion, the 2022 Asian Senior all-around silver medalist, two-time Japanese National Junior champion, and four-time Japanese National senior champion.

Sumire Kita
Kita on the 2022 Asian Championships ball final podium
Personal information
Full nameSumire Kita
Country represented Japan
Born (2001-01-11) 11 January 2001 (age 23)
Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
ResidenceTokyo
Height165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Weight47 kg (104 lb)
DisciplineRhythmic gymnastics
LevelSenior elite
Years on national team2013 - 2022
ClubAngel RG Kagawa
GymTakamatsu Chuo High School
Head coach(es)Oka Kurumi
Assistant coach(es)Elena Nefedova
Former coach(es)Yu Liu
RetiredDecember 21, 2022 [1]
World ranking21 WCC (2017 Season) [2]
Medal record
Representing  Japan
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Asian Championships
Silver medal – second place 2017 Astana Team
Silver medal – second place 2022 Pattaya All-around
Silver medal – second place 2022 Pattaya Hoop
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Astana Ribbon
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Pattaya Ball
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Pattaya Clubs

Personal life edit

Kita started doing rhythmic gymnastics at age two. Her mother also practiced rhythmic gymnastics until she went to university. Kita speaks Japanese and Russian.

Her younger sister, Mirano Kita, is also an individual rhythmic gymnast and has represented Japan at multiple international FIG events.

Career edit

In 2013, Kita debuted at the Japan National Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, where she became the youngest ever to take second place.[3] Kita was coached by Yu Liu, a former Chinese rhythmic gymnast who came to Japan to study and on meeting Kita at her small gymnastics studio in Kagawa Prefecture, recognized her as a gymnast with great potential.[4] Kita thereafter spent part of her training time in Russia's famous Novogorsk center for rhythmic gymnastics.

Kita competed at the 2014 Aeon Cup. In 2015, she competed at the Junior Grand Prix in Moscow and numerous other junior tournaments, including events in Lisbon, Corbeil-Essonnes and Budapest. Kita also finished 5th in the junior all-around at the 2015 Aeon Cup in Tokyo, Japan. At the 2016 Asian Junior Championships in Astana, Kita won gold medals in the all-around, rope, clubs as well as bronze medals in hoop, ball, and team.[5]

In 2017, Kita parted with her childhood coach Liu and began training under Elena Nefedova. She debuted in the World Cup Series, competing at the 2017 World Challenge Cup Guadalajara. She finished 17th in the all-around, she qualified in 1 apparatus final in clubs finishing in 8th place. On June 24–27, Kita competed at the 2017 Asian Championships where she finished 4th in the all-around. Kita, together with the rest of the Japanese team, won the bronze medal. She qualified for two apparatus finals and won bronze in ribbon and placed 5th in hoop. On July 7–9, Kita finished 9th in the all-around at the 2017 Berlin World Challenge Cup. She qualified for the ball final, where she finished in 7th place. On August 5–7, Kita finished 10th in the all-around behind Olena Diachenko at the 2017 Minsk World Challenge Cup. She qualified for the hoop and ribbon finals and finished in 8th place for both events. On August 11–13, Kita competed at the 2017 Kazan World Challenge Cup. She was 14th in the all-around and did not qualify in any of apparatus finals. On August 30–September 3, Kita and Kaho Minagawa represented Japan in the individual competition at the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro, Italy; she qualified in the hoop final and finished in 7th place. Kita finished 12th in the all-around final behind Evita Griskenas.[6]

In 2018, Kita started the season with the 2018 Moscow Grand Prix. She finished 8th in the all-around and qualified into the clubs and ribbon finals. However, she was forced to return to Japan for a time due to pain in her lower back, which was caused by an avulsion fracture.[7] She competed with only two apparatuses at the 2018 World Championships and again at the 2019 World Championships.[8][9]

In 2021, Kita was chosen to represent Japan at the Olympic Games in Tokyo alongside teammate Chisaki Oiwa.[10] She placed eleventh in the overall individual ranking, being 0.300 points behind the Ukrainian Khrystyna Pohranychna, and was the first reserve for the all-around final.

Kita won her fourth Japanese national title in 2022, along with winning every event final at Japanese Nationals.[11] She announced her retirement in December.

Routine music information edit

Year Apparatus Music title
2022 Hoop L'estasi dell'oro by Ennio Morricone
Ball Fever (Remastered), Fever (Extended Swing Mix) by Peggy Lee
Clubs Bolero by Prequell
Ribbon Libertango in Berlin Philharmonic by Aydar Gaynullin
2021[12] Hoop Satisfy by Nero
Ball Helele-Safri Duo Extended Mix by Velile,Safri Duo
Clubs SKIBIDI by Little Big
Ribbon Libertango in Berlin Philharmonic by Aydar Gaynullin
2019 Hoop The Plaza of Execution(Instrumental) by James Horner & Orchestra
Ball Assassin's Tango by John Powell
Clubs (first) Big Band (Electro Swing English Radio Edit) (feat. Nicolle Rochette & Charlie Magoo by Bart&Baker
Clubs (second) Marry The Night (Afrojack Remix) by Lady Gaga
Ribbon James Bond Theme (Oscar Salguero Mix Edit) by Le Chiffre
2018 Hoop Caruso by Filippa Giordano
Ball Larrons en Foire by Raphael Beau
Clubs Big Band (Electro Swing English Radio Edit) (feat. Nicolle Rochette & Charlie Magoo by Bart&Baker
Ribbon James Bond Theme (Oscar Salguero Mix Edit) by Le Chiffre
2017 Hoop Lucia di Lammermoor, The Diva Dance music from Éric Serra by Inva Mula
Ball Tango D'amor by Tango Jointz
Clubs Mambo Italiano by Dany Brillant
Ribbon Cry Me a River (violin version) music from Justin Timberlake's Justified (album) by EKLIPSE
2015/2016 Rope White Roses Are Blooming by 101 Strings Orchestra
Hoop Another Cha Cha / Cha Cha Suite by Santa Esmeralda
Ball Chopin by Edvin Marton
Clubs European Taxim by Marios Strofalis
2014 Hoop Jennys Abschlusskonzert by Kae Shirati
Ball Chopin by Edvin Marton
Clubs Show Me Your Love by Tina Karol
Ribbon Flamenko (Koster) by Didula

References edit

  1. ^ Sumire, Kita [@smr0111] (December 21, 2022). "[ご報告] 先日、今シーズンをもちまして現役を引退させていただくことを発表させて頂きました。" [[ANNOUNCEMENT] I have recently announced that I will be retiring at the end of this season.] – via Instagram.
  2. ^ "FIG World standings for rhythmic gymnastics". International Federation of Gymnastics. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  3. ^ "All Japanese 'Chacott-Championships 2013". Gymmedia. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  4. ^ "Aiming for Tokyo Gold". NHK World. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Final Events of the Asian Junior Championships in Kazakhstan 2016". Asian Gymnastics Union.
  6. ^ "35th WORLDS of RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS 2017". gymmedia. 3 September 2017.
  7. ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (2021-08-06). "けが乗り越えた新星、僅差で決勝逃す 新体操・喜田". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  8. ^ "36th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Champions Result Book" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  9. ^ "37th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships Result Book" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Rhythmic Gymnastics on Facebook". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2022-04-30.[user-generated source]
  11. ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (2022-10-30). "喜田純、2年ぶり5冠 全日本新体操最終日". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  12. ^ "Music Selection" (PDF). 2020 Summer Olympics. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

External links edit