Hitomi Kinue - Hitomi Kinue

Japanese: 人見絹枝 - ひとみ・きぬえ

Year of death: August 2, 1931
Year of birth: January 1, 1907
Japan's first female international track and field athlete. Born in Okayama Prefecture. In 1923, at the age of 17, she won the long jump at the 2nd Junior High School Athletic Meet with a jump of 4.64 meters (an unofficial Japanese record). She went on to study at Nikaido Gymnastics School (Japan Women's College of Physical Education), and after graduating, she worked as a sports reporter for the Osaka Mainichi Shimbun while also participating alone in the 2nd Women's International Olympiad in 1910, winning the individual championship. In 1928, she was the only female participant in the 8th Olympiad (Amsterdam), and although she was defeated in the second qualifying round in the much anticipated 100 meters, she came in second in the 800 meters, becoming Japan's first female medalist. In 1922, she led a group of five juniors to participate in the 3rd Women's International Olympiad, coming in fourth place as a team and second place individually. During this time, she set four world records. Prior to sending Hitomi to the second Women's International Olympics, the Japan Women's Athletic Federation was organized (1926) to join the International Women's Athletic Federation (established in 1921), and her presence was a catalyst in opening up the nascent world of Japanese women's sports to the world. She herself raised interest in women's sports through energetic lectures, writing, fundraising, and other activities. She died young from pulmonary tuberculosis. She is the author of five books, including "The Traces of Spikes." <References> Obara Toshihiko, "The Story of Hitomi Kinue"

(Miyoko Hagiwara)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：昭和6.8.2(1931)
生年：明治40.1.1(1907)
日本女性初の国際的陸上競技選手。岡山県生まれ。大正12(1923)年17歳で第2回中等学校競技大会の走り幅跳びに4m64(非公認日本記録)で優勝。二階堂体操女塾(日本女子体育大)に進学し,卒業後,大阪毎日新聞運動部記者をしつつ,15年第2回万国女子オリンピックに単独参加,個人優勝。昭和3(1928)年第8回オリンピック(アムステルダム)に紅一点参加,期待された100mでは第2予選で敗れるが,800m2位で日本女子初のメダリストとなった。5年第3回万国女子オリンピックに後輩5人を率いて参加,団体4位個人2位。この間世界新記録を4回出している。第2回万国女子オリンピックに人見を送り出すに先だち,国際女子スポーツ連盟(1921年設立)加盟のため,日本女子スポーツ連盟が組織される(1926)など,彼女の存在が黎明期の日本女子スポーツ界を世界に開くきっかけになった。彼女自身も精力的な講演,執筆,募金活動などを通じて女子スポーツへの関心を喚起した。肺結核のため早世。著書は『スパイクの跡』など5冊がある。<参考文献>小原俊彦『人見絹枝物語』

(萩原美代子)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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