1. Overview
Rin Kubo (久保 凛Kubo RinJapanese), born on January 20, 2008, is a Japanese track and field athlete specializing in middle-distance running. Hailing from Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture, she has rapidly emerged as a significant figure in Japanese athletics. Her career is highlighted by her historic achievement on July 15, 2024, when she became the first Japanese woman to run the 800 metres in under two minutes, setting a new Japanese national record of 1:59.93. Her youthful success and groundbreaking performances are widely seen as inspiring contributions to the advancement of track and field in Japan.
2. Early Life and Background
Rin Kubo's early life and background laid the foundation for her athletic career, beginning with an unexpected engagement in sports before transitioning to track and field.
2.1. Birth and Childhood
Rin Kubo was born on January 20, 2008, in Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. During her six years in elementary school at Kushimoto Town Shionomisaki Elementary School, Kubo was primarily involved in soccer. She was a notable player, even being selected as a member of the Wakayama Prefecture U-12 training center. Beyond sports, she also participated in environmental initiatives, with records of her involvement in the "Wakayama Children's Eco-Challenge" preserved in official prefectural documents.
2.2. Education and Athletic Beginnings
Upon entering junior high school, specifically Kushimoto Town Shionomisaki Junior High School, Kubo made a definitive shift, dedicating herself entirely to track and field, with a particular focus on middle-distance running. In 2023, she advanced to Higashiosaka University Keiai High School in Higashiōsaka, Osaka Prefecture, continuing her athletic and academic journey.
3. Career
Rin Kubo's career has been marked by a series of significant achievements, starting from her junior high school days and progressing rapidly through high school to break national records and compete on the international stage.
3.1. Junior High School Achievements
During her third year of junior high school, Kubo achieved national recognition. At the 49th All-Japan Junior High School Athletics Championships held in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, she competed in the girls' 800m final. She secured first place with a time of 2:09.96, earning the title of junior high school national champion.
3.2. High School Career
Kubo's high school career saw her continue her rapid ascent in middle-distance running, achieving significant victories at both domestic and international youth competitions.
3.2.1. Early Achievements and Domestic Success
As a second-year high school student in 2024, Rin Kubo continued to make significant strides in domestic senior competitions. She commenced her 2024 season at the Kinami Memorial Meet, the first event of the Japan Grand Prix Series, held in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. In the women's 800m, she competed against Nozomi Tanaka, a leading Japanese middle-distance runner. Kubo emerged victorious with a time of 2:05.35, marking a significant upset.
Following this, in May at the Shizuoka International Athletics Meet in Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, she again won the women's 800m. Her time of 2:03.57 not only secured her victory but also established a new U18 Japanese record and ranked her as the third-fastest high schooler in history. In June 2024, Kubo competed in the women's 800m at the 108th Japan Athletics Championships in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture. Facing strong competitors including Nozomi Tanaka, Ran Urabe, and Ayano Shiomi, Kubo significantly outpaced her senior rivals to claim first place. This marked her first national championship title with a time of 2:03.14. On October 12, 2024, at the National Sports Festival (Kokupo) held in Saga Prefecture, she won the girls' 800m final with a new tournament record of 2:02.09, finishing more than five seconds ahead of the second-place runner.
3.2.2. National Record Breakthrough
Rin Kubo achieved a historic milestone on July 15, 2024, at the 2024 1st Long-Distance Strengthening Record Meet, an athletics competition organized by the Nara Athletics Association in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture. In the women's 800m time trial, she finished first with a time of 1:59.93. This performance shattered the previous Japanese national record of 2:00.45, which had been held by Miho Sato since 2005, breaking a 19-year-old record. Crucially, Kubo's achievement marked the first time a Japanese female athlete had completed the 800m race in under two minutes, an unparalleled feat in Japanese athletics history.
3.3. International Competitions
Kubo has represented Japan in international events, demonstrating her abilities on a global stage. In August 2024, she competed in the 800 metres at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships held in Lima, Peru. She advanced to the final and finished in 6th place with a time of 2:03.31. This achievement tied for the highest-ever placing by a Japanese athlete in the event at the World U20 Championships.
| Year | Event | Location | Place | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | World Athletics U20 Championships | Lima, Peru | 6th | 800 m | 2:03.31 |
4. Personal Bests
Rin Kubo holds several personal bests and current Japanese national records in track and field events.
- 800 metres: 1:59.93 (Japanese Record)
- 4×800mR: 8:33.77 (Japanese Record)
5. Family
Rin Kubo has a notable family connection in the world of sports. She is the cousin of Takefusa Kubo, a prominent professional footballer who plays for the Japan national football team. Their fathers are brothers.
6. Assessment and Legacy
Rin Kubo's emergence as a record-breaking middle-distance runner at a remarkably young age has had a significant impact on Japanese athletics. Her achievement of breaking the 2-minute barrier in the 800m, a feat previously untouched by any Japanese woman, has cemented her status as a prodigious talent.
Public reaction to her performances has been overwhelmingly positive, with media outlets describing her as "innocent and cheerful" while highlighting her competitive spirit, particularly in races where she has overcome more experienced national champions. Her record of 1:59.93 for the 800m also ranks as the 8th fastest in the world for U18 athletes and 4th fastest for U20 athletes in the current season, indicating her global potential. Kubo's rapid progress and remarkable achievements at such a young age position her as a key figure for the future of Japanese athletics, with high expectations for her continued development and potential participation in major international competitions like the Olympic Games.