Hitomi Kinue (1908–1931)
Hitomi Kinue (1908–1931)
Japanese track-and-field champion. Name variations: Kinuye. Born on January 1, 1908; died on August 2,1931.
Won the silver medal in the 800 meters in Amsterdam Olympics (1928).
A world-class athlete before her country even recognized sports for women, Japanese track-and-field champion Kinue Hitomi had a phenomenal career that was cut short by her premature death at age 24. Gifted as a child, particularly in tennis, Hitomi was sent to one of the few physical education schools in Japan. There she trained as an all-around athlete but excelled in sprinting, jumping, and discus. At age 17, she captured a world record in the triple jump, the first of many she would break in 12 different events. After winning two gold medals in the Second World Women's Games in 1926, Hitomi won a silver medal in the 800-meter at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. Lina Radke of Germany took the gold medal with a time of 2:16.8; Inga Gentzel of Sweden won the bronze. Unfortunately, at the end of the race, a number of women runners fainted, causing the Olympic Committee to ban races of over 200-meters for women until 1960. In the 1930 Women's Games at Prague, Hitomi won two gold medals, one silver, and one bronze, as well as a gold medal as all-around athlete. In 1931, at the height of her career, Hitomi was diagnosed with tuberculosis. She died shortly thereafter.