Japanese javelin star Haruka Kitaguchi notched up her first victory of the season, winning on home soil at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix – a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting – in Tokyo on Sunday (18).

The world and Olympic champion was one of several Japanese athletes to produce a winning performance in the stadium that will host the World Athletics Championships four months from now, but it was the Australian contingent that stole the show with six athletes from Down Under winning on Sunday, three of them breaking meeting records.

For most of the fans in the stadium, though, their focus was on Kitaguchi while the javelin was unfolding. She took an early lead with 61.41m then improved to 64.16m in round five to extend her lead. That remained the best of the day with compatriot Momone Ueda taking second place with 60.66m.

Elsewhere on the infield, Kitaguchi’s fellow world and Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh enjoyed a comfortable win in the high jump, her 1.96m clearance being enough to win by 11 centimetres. The Ukrainian took one attempt at 2.00m then retired from competition, saving herself for her next outing.

Japan’s Tomohiro Shinno won the men’s event with 2.27m.

In-form Australian Liam Adcock produced a last-round leap of 8.20m to take victory in the men’s long jump. Prior to that, Japan’s Hibika Tsuha had led the competition with 8.15m.

Source: World Athletics