16-Year-Old Japanese Phenom Shatters 100m Record, Outsprinting Bolt and Lyles at Unbelievable Speed
A 16-year-old Japanese sprinter, Shimizu Sorato, has made headlines by breaking records with a blistering 100m time of 10.00 seconds at the All Japan High School Championships in Hiroshima. This time, set in July, has stunned the athletics world, as it surpasses the performances of legendary sprinters like Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles at similar ages.
At just 5ft 5in, Shimizu’s achievement has put him on the radar as one of Asia’s brightest emerging sprinting talents. While the continent has struggled historically in the 100m race, with China’s Su Bingtian being one of the few Asian-born sprinters to break the 10-second barrier, Shimizu’s speed has raised hopes of a new sprinting powerhouse emerging from Japan.
Su Bingtian, who reached the Tokyo 2020 Olympics final with a time of 9.98 seconds, is now 36 and did not qualify for the Paris 2024 Games, which opens the door for younger talent like Shimizu to step into the spotlight.
Despite his impressive feat, Shimizu’s participation in senior-level competitions has been limited due to strict age regulations. However, Japan is placing significant trust in his potential, with officials excited by the “unknown quantity” Shimizu presents on the track. Given his performance at such a young age, there’s no doubt we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the future as he continues to rewrite the sprinting record books.
