Tokyo Athlete Certified Athlete Interview (55) Triathlon Arika Nakayama (Machida City, Setagaya Ward) (2020/3/23)
【profile】
Sarika Nakayama Born May 2000, 5 Affiliated with Nihon University (11st year, Faculty of Sports Science)
2017/2018 ITU World Junior Triathlon Championship Participation
2019 25th Japan Triathlon Championship 5th place
A ``triathlon'' is a series of three events performed by one athlete: swimming, biking, and running.This time, we spoke to Arika Nakayama, who is expected to play an active role as the next generation of triathlon athletes.
Nakayama started swimming at the age of one, started track and field and aquathlon (a competition that only consisted of swimming and running) in the sixth grade of elementary school, took up cycling in junior high school, and competed in his first triathlon competition in the second year of junior high school.She began seriously participating in triathlons in her first year of high school.After meeting his mentor, he quickly rose to prominence.
[Tournament information]
Tournament information is here⇒ Japan Triathlon Union HP
~What made you want to take it seriously as a sport? ~
(Left) Coach Hirano (Right) Player Nakayama
In the summer of my third year of junior high school, I participated in the U3 national tournament and finished in 15th place.Since I almost finished third, I started thinking, ``I definitely want to win a medal in the next U4 division.''With these thoughts in mind, I attended a junior training camp in Tokyo in the summer of my first year of high school, and met coach Tsukasa Hirano, which was the biggest encounter I had while continuing to compete.After the training camp, I was invited to the Japan U3 national team training camp in December of my first year of high school, and I was shocked to see the high level of players around me.
I realized that I couldn't continue like this and wanted to become even stronger, so I contacted Coach Hirano and asked him if he could coach me, and that's when I started taking up the sport seriously.Coach Hirano is a former Japanese triathlon champion who teaches from the same perspective as the athletes and is a very approachable person, so practicing is not a problem.
～What are you good at: swimming, biking, and running? ~
I think my specialty is swimming.Triathlon swimming is open water and involves swimming in the ocean, so when I first started competing, it was difficult for me to handle it.As I practiced more and more, I gradually became able to handle the ocean, and my swimming rankings naturally improved.
As for bikes, I started riding late, so I used to feel like I wasn't good at it, but recently my legs have gotten stronger and I'm able to get out in front of the group more proactively.I think all three events are now well-balanced.
As for future tasks, I would like to further improve my skills such as cornering and U-turns on the bike.Currently, I cannot say that I am at a world-class level yet, so I will continue to work hard to reach even higher levels.
~How was your first international competition? ~
When I was in my second year of high school, I participated in the Asian Junior Championship for the first time.My goal was 2th place, but I ended up finishing 16rd and getting a medal.
It was very hot that day, so while many athletes did not improve their runs, I started in 8th place and jumped up to 3rd place. I believe that my victory was due to my strong running performance.After that, I participated in the World Junior Championship, but finished 70th out of 38 players.Even if we were able to achieve good results in Asia, I realized that the barriers around the world are high.
～Have you ever experienced the world and felt something new? ~
I was confident in my swimming ability, but the swimming battles were so intense that I couldn't swim as well as I wanted.Japanese players also have a physical difference compared to foreign players, and they lose in terms of power.In Japan, I was able to get out of the pack before it got too crowded, but at the World Junior Championships I couldn't get to the front.
What I realized from my first international tournament experience is that a quick start is important.I once again realized that speed is important in getting out of the battle before it becomes a melee.The following year (2018), in my third year of high school, I was able to place 3rd at the Asian Championships, but as I was preparing for university entrance exams, I was unable to concentrate on the competition, and I placed 3th at the World Junior Championships. It was a very difficult year for me as I was faced with such a harsh outcome.
～What was 2019 like when you finished your entrance exams and entered Nihon University? ~
During the first half of the season, I suffered from sports anemia and even when I raced, I didn't get any results.Afterwards, my physical condition improved and I was able to practice well over the summer, which enabled me to win the All Japan Student Championship in September.Furthermore, we were able to take 9nd place at the Asian Cup and 5th place at the Japan Championship, which allowed us to participate in the World Cup.
I think the reason I was able to get results in the tournament was because I was able to strengthen my running skills.The results were that my running ability improved, and that I was able to run without slowing down on the run after the bike. In the first half of 2019, I struggled with my physical condition, but in the second half I improved rapidly and started to see results, so I think I was able to enter 2020 in good shape.
～As an athlete, what are your thoughts as we approach the Tokyo 2020 Games? ~
As the saying goes, ``There are monsters at the Olympics,'' the Olympics are a special stage for any athlete.I am looking forward to the 2024 Paris Olympics, and before that, I would like to get a feel for the Olympic atmosphere at the Tokyo 2020 Games.I don't think Japan is yet at a level where they can consistently win in the world. I think that in four years' time, the world level will have risen even further, and the winning pattern will have changed.Rather than chasing the current world level, I would like to aim for even higher levels and raise my own level.
～What goals do you have for 2020 and beyond? ~
I would like to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics and win a medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.In order for triathlon to become more famous, I think it is necessary for me to win a medal at the Olympics.To that end, I would like to first improve the Japanese rankings starting in 2020.I am currently a member of the sports science department at university, majoring in competitive sports studies.The classes are really fun because what I'm studying is directly connected to my own sport.I have good attendance and my credits are perfect (lol).
Right now, my main goal as an athlete is to win a medal at the Olympics, but in the future, I would like to be involved in the development of athletes as well.
~What should I pay attention to when watching a triathlon? ~
I think it would be fun to find an athlete you support and watch the race while following that athlete's progress.At the Tokyo 2020 Games, pay attention to what level of the group Japanese athletes are placed in at the time of swimming.If you are in the first group, I want you to support me with the feeling that you are fighting alongside the players to see if they can keep up with that group, and where to move up in the rankings.
～Has anything changed since you became a certified athlete in Tokyo? ~
As a competitor, I began to feel the responsibility of achieving solid results.I started working hard to achieve that goal.
～Are there any recommended spots in Tokyo? ~
There is an athlete food restaurant in Hatchobori that provides dietary support.Not only after practice, but also before the race, the meals are carefully thought out and nutritious, and they are delicious, so it is a place where I can say that my strength comes from.
