16 year old runs 100m in 10 seconds, Japanese "lightning bolt" breaks world record

VHO - Just turned 16, Sorato Shimizu surprised the world of athletics when he ran 100m in exactly 10 seconds, breaking the world record for the U18 age group and opening up expectations for a new Japanese speed star.

Sorato Shimizu flew to the finish line in joy, behind him were his opponents trying to catch up.

From “powerful support” to personal aspirations

For more than a decade, Japan has stood out in world athletics as one of the strongest men's 4x100m relay teams on the planet.

From the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics to 5th place at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Japanese runners have always made their opponents respect them thanks to their perfect baton passing technique and disciplined team spirit.

However, at the individual level, Japan still lacks a real breakthrough name in the men's 100m event - a measure of core capacity of speed athletes.

The one who once carried great expectations was Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, an athlete of Japanese and Ghanaian descent.

Brown brought glory to his country by winning a double gold medal in the 100m and 200m at the World Youth Championships (U18) in Cali in 2015, then reaching the 100m final at the Eugene 2022 World Championships – an unprecedented achievement for a Japanese athlete.

However, at 26, Sani Brown seems to have slowed down. His personal best – 9.96 seconds – came in the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics, but it wasn’t enough to get him to the final. Worse, this 2025 season, he hasn’t broken the 10.31 mark.

The moment Sorato Shimizu accelerated to take the lead in the national high school men's 100m final.

16-year-old "boy" shocks with 10 full seconds

In that context, the appearance of Sorato Shimizu was a real earthquake for Japanese athletics.

Born on February 8, 2009, Shimizu had just turned 16, but had a spectacular debut at the Japan National High School Athletics Championships with a time of 10.00 seconds (wind +1.7), breaking the U18 world record.

Previously, Shimizu attracted attention at the Japanese National Championship on July 4 when he ran the 100m qualifying round in 10.19 seconds - an impressive achievement for a teenage athlete.

However, in the semi-finals, he only achieved 10.25 seconds and missed the chance to enter the final by a hair's breadth (0.01 seconds).

The 10.00-second achievement not only broke the 10.06 mark shared by two top athletes, Christian Miller (USA) and Puripol Boonson (Thailand) in 2023, but also met the standard for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo set by World Athletics.

Sorato Shimizu celebrates his U18 world record of 10.00 seconds at the stadium, with the electronic board recording the results behind him

The chance to participate in the world tournament is still open.

The question now is: Will Sorato Shimizu be selected to compete in the Tokyo World Championships next September?

Although qualified, participation in the tournament depends on the selection policy of the Japan Athletics Federation.

At the national championship, Shimizu did not win an official place. However, up to now, Japan has only two athletes qualified for the men's 100m: one is Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (who is in decline), the other is qualified based on world ranking points. So, in theory, there is still a vacant position.

However, the possibility of Shimizu being added to the 4x100m relay team is very low, because this formation requires stability, long-term baton passing practice and good coordination - something that an athlete who is only 16 years old will find difficult to adapt to in a few short weeks.

However, a place in the 100m individual is not impossible. With his current progress, Shimizu is definitely worthy of consideration – not just for his 10.00s, but for his limitless potential.

Clip Shimizu runs 100m in 10 seconds

Hope for the future

From a provincial high school "boy", Shimizu is on the threshold of becoming a new symbol for Japanese athletics - a symbol that is no longer only strong in the collective, but can also shine brightly in the individual race.

The emergence of Sorato Shimizu not only sparked hope among Japanese fans for a new era in short-distance running, but also served as a reminder to the world: the land of the rising sun is still quietly producing extraordinary talents, ready to break all limits.

And if everything goes according to plan, this fall at Tokyo's National Stadium, spectators may just witness the lightning-fast run of a 16-year-old – a run that opens a new chapter of great hope for Japanese athletics.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/16-tuoi-chay-100m-trong-10-giay-tia-chop-nhat-ban-pha-ky-luc-the-gioi-156563.html