Minami Itahashi
Personal information
Native name板橋美波
Born (2000-01-28) 28 January 2000[1]
Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan[1]
Height1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)[2]
Weight45 kg (99 lb)[2]
Sport
SportDiving
Medal record
Representing  Japan
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place2023 Fukuoka10 m mixed synchro
Asian Swimming Championships
Bronze medal – third place2016 Tokyo10m platform
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place2022 Hangzhou10 m synchro

Minami Itahashi (板橋美波, Itahashi Minami, born 28 January 2000) is a Japanese diver.[1] She has represented Japan at various international events since the age of 14, including the 2015 World Aquatics Championships and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Early life

Itahashi was born in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture.[1] She commenced swimming at the JSS swimming school in Takarazuka when in her first grade of elementary school.[1] When in the third grade she switched to diving after first participating in a one-month course.[1] Her father is a former judo player.[1] Her coach at JSS is Suuei Mabuchi, who is also head coach of the national diving team.[2]

Diving career

In 2013, when a second grade student at Gotenyama Junior High School, Itahashi finished third in the 10m platform event of the national championships.[1] Her performance earned her selection to compete at the 2013 East Asian Games, her first international event.[1] At the Games she finished 5th in the 1m springboard event and 7th in the 3m springboard event.[3]

In June 2014 Itahashi won the 10m platform event at the national indoor invitational championships, followed by wins in the platform and springboard events at the national junior high school championships in August.[1] In September 2014, Itahashi won the 3m springboard event at the Japanese national championships and earned selection for the 2014 Asian Games.[1] Her victory at the national championships at the age of 14 years and 8 months made her the youngest person to win a springboard diving event in the 90-year history of the championships.[1] At the Asian Games in October 2014, Itahashi finished in 5th in the platform event[4] and 7th in the 3m springboard event.[5]

In July 2015 Itahashi competed in the 3m springboard event at the World Aquatics Championships held in Russia.[6] In the preliminary round she successfully completed a 109C dive (a forward dive with 4 1/2 turns in the tuck position), the first woman to do so at an international competition.[2] She advanced to the semi-finals in 6th position, but an error in a subsequent dive saw her fall to 16th place and miss out on a berth in the final.[2]

In February 2016 Itahashi secured a berth at the Rio Olympics by qualifying for the final of the 10m platform event at the 2016 FINA Diving World Cup.[7] She failed to qualify in the 3m springboard event however, finishing 22nd in the qualifying round.[8] At the 2016 Olympic Games she finished eighth in the 10m platform diving.[9] In November 2016, Itahashi claimed a silver medal in the 3m springboard event at a grand prix event in Singapore,[10] followed by a bronze medal in the 10m platform event at the 2016 Asian Swimming Championships.[11]

In 2023, at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Itahashi won silver with Matsuri Arai in 10 metre synchro.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "飛び込みに東京五輪の星　14歳板橋美波" [Tokyo Olympic diving star: 14yo Minami Takahashi]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 20 September 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "飛込15歳・板橋美波が大技109C成功 涙の準決勝敗退も、リオ五輪へ収穫" [15yo diver Minami Itahashi completes 109C, tears at her semi-final exit, looking for Rio Olympic berth]. Yahoo Japan Sports Navi (in Japanese). 31 July 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  3. ↑ "第6回東アジア競技大会（2013/天津）日本代表選手成績一覧" [6th East Asian Games (Tianjin) List of Japanese Athletes' Results] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan Olympic Council. p. 2. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  4. ↑ "10月2日（木）の競技結果" [October 2nd Event Results] (in Japanese). Japan Olympic Council. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  5. ↑ "10月3日（木）の競技結果" [October 3rd Event Results] (in Japanese). Japan Olympic Council. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "Women's 3m Springboard startlist of the 2015 World Aquatic Championships". Omega Timing. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  7. ↑ "16歳板橋美波がリオ代表入り　飛び込みの五輪予選" [16yo Minami Itahashi earns Olympic spot at diving qualifying event]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 22 February 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  8. ↑ "Diver Sakai books ticket to Rio". The Japan Times. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  9. ↑ "Results – Womens 10m Platform – Diving – Rio 2016 – Olympics". BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  10. ↑ Pavitt, Michael (6 November 2016). "Japan earn three titles on final day in Singapore as FINA Diving Grand Prix season concludes". Inside the Games. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  11. ↑ "Seto triumphs in 400-meter individual medley at Asian championships". The Japan Times. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  12. ↑ "China starts diving gold medal haul at Hangzhou Asiad". Xinhua. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
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