is a Japanese sprinter who specialises in the 100 and 200 metres.
Takahira competed in the 200 m at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2005 World Championships but failed to progress beyond the heats. He took the silver medal at the 2005 Summer Universiade. He represented Japan in his home country at the 2007 Osaka World Championships and reached the quarter-finals of the 200 m event.Takahira Shinji Biography. IAAF. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
Takahira represented Japan at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He competed at the 4 × 100 metres relay together with Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu and Nobuharu Asahara. In their qualification heat they placed second in behind Trinidad and Tobago, but in front of the Netherlands and Brazil. Their time of 38.52 was the third fastest out of sixteen participating nations in the first round and they qualified for the final. There they sprinted to a time of 38.15 seconds, the third time after the Jamaican and Trinidad teams, winning the bronze medal. However, in January 2017, Jamaica's medal was revoked due to one of their athletes proven to have been doping; this meant that Japan now moved up to a silver medal. He also took part in the 200 metres individual. In his first round heat he placed fourth in a time of 20.58 seconds, outside the direct qualifiers. His time was however among the best losing times, securing his second round spot. In the second round he came to a time of 20.63 seconds and was eliminated as he only placed seventh in the heat.
Takahira made a good start to the 2009 season, finishing second and recording a new 200 m best of 20.31 s at the 2009 Osaka Grand Prix. He felt spurred on by running against American athlete Rodney Martin and stated that he hoped to make the semis or final of the forthcoming Berlin World Championships.Nakamura, Ken (9 May 2009). ‘07 World champs Wariner, Clement and Thomas win again in Osaka – IAAF World Athletics Tour. IAAF. Retrieved 8 October 2019. He won the 200 m at the Japanese Championships, breaking his personal best with a run of 20.22 seconds. This was the third-fastest time ever run in Japan, and Takahira said "I was secretly hoping for Suetsugu’s (national) record".Nakamura, Ken (29 June 2009). Sprinters excel at the Japanese Champs. IAAF. Retrieved on 8 October 2019.Fukushima breaks 200-meter mark. The Japan Times (27 June 2009). Retrieved on 8 October 2019.
Achievements Competition record Representing 2002World Junior ChampionshipsKingston, Jamaica7th4 × 100 m relay40.052003UniversiadeDaegu, South Korea1st4 × 100 m relay39.454th4 × 400 m relay3:05.972004Olympic GamesAthens, Greece40th (h)200 m21.054th4 × 100 m relay38.492005World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland33rd (h)200 m21.038th4 × 100 m relay38.77Universiadeİzmir, Turkey2nd200 m20.932nd4 × 100 m relay39.292nd (h)4 × 400 m relay3:05.02East Asian GamesMacau1st200 m20.881st4 × 100 m relay39.612006World CupAthens, Greece3rd4 × 100 m relay38.51Representing AsiaAsian GamesDoha, Qatar3rd200 m20.812nd4 × 100 m relay39.212007World ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan21st (qf)200 m20.775th4 × 100 m relay38.03 (AR)2008Olympic GamesBeijing, China21st (qf)200 m20.632nd4 × 100 m relay38.152009World ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany17th (qf)200 m20.694th4 × 100 m relay38.30Asian ChampionshipsGuangzhou, China2nd100 m10.321st4 × 100 m relay39.012010Asian GamesGuangzhou, China10th (h)4 × 100 m relay47.142011Asian ChampionshipsKobe, Japan1st4 × 100 m relay39.18World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea16th (sf)200 m20.909th (h)4 × 100 m relay38.662012Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom19th (sf)200 m20.775th4 × 100 m relay38.352014IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas9th (h)4 × 200 m relay1:23.87Asian GamesIncheon, South Korea2nd4 × 100 m relay38.492nd (h)4 × 400 m relay3:05.53
Personal bests EventTimeLocationDate100 metres10.20 secHiroshima, Japan29 April 2009200 metres20.22 secHiroshima, Japan26 June 2009
References
External links
Shinji Takahira at JAAF