Joy McArthur, Athletics | Hammer throw which became the “meaning of life”. New heroine who loves Japan

Joy McArthur
Born in California in 1999. Japan record holder for Women’s Hammer Throw（70m51）

McArthur graduated from Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, Calif, University of Southern California , and graduate school.
Her father was a former professional basketball player, Eric McArthur. Her mother is Japanese. Because her father played for a Japanese team, she came to Japan when she was 5 months old and grew up in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture until she was 8 years old.
After returning to California in the United States due to her father’s retirement, she began throwing discus and shot put in junior high school. After entering high school, she seriously started doing the hammer throw at the recommendation of her coach. She has grown into someone who continues to rewrite the history of Japanese women’s hammer throw, including breaking Japanese records.
She is a heroine of a new era who won consecutive victories at the Japan National Championships held in June 2024, and is expected to perform well at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

 

I want to be good at something. That something was hammer throw

――Please tell us how you got started in track and field.

I played tennis until my first year of high school. But tennis is a winter sport. My friends told me that I had to play sports both in the spring and summer, and track and field was the easiest thing for me to do. I tried out for the track and field club and was told, “You can do well”, so I tried the discus and shot put at first.
I did it for about two years, but I wasn’t very good at throwing discus or shot put. I wanted to get better at something, and that’s when my coach told me to try the hammer throw. Once I started doing it, I improved pretty quickly, and I’ve been hooked on hammer throw ever since. That something was hammer throw.

――Are they completely different even though they are the same throwing event?

You can’t throw a shot put unless you’re strong. I was also light in weight. The movement of the discus throw is also different. I was able to connect right away with the hammer throw. I couldn’t understand very well the movement of the shot put and discus throw. I understood this with the hammer throw and thought, “It’s a movement that feels really good, and it’s beautiful and strong”. I think you can understand it by watching the movement. I have also played tennis and basketball, but the hammer throw is the only one I chose. You’ll feel more fired up and motivated if you say you want to do something rather than someone telling you to do it.

――What characteristics do you think make you suitable for doing hammer throw?

Oh, that is a good question. I think my height and muscular build are suitable for doing hammer throw. Also my feeling of not giving up. Hammer throw is a really difficult sport. Techniques are evolving, so you need to have patience. Every day is like attending a class. I’m learning a lot of new things, so I think I’m also good at not giving up.

 

Waiting for me to gain confidence.

――When you say “Every day is like attending a class”, do you imagine yourself pitching and changing what you feel, or do you mostly receive instructions from the coach?

There are both. There are times when I think to myself, “That’s a good throw”, and I learn from that, and there are times when I talk to my coach and he says, “I should do it this way”. Lately, I have become interested in the training content and have begun to offer my own opinions. I will progress faster that way.
I am learning every day. Even the coach won’t know what I’m thinking unless I put it into words. So if I say, “This is my way of thinking”, we can collaborate and improve again. Lately, I’ve started to say things even if my coach hates me by saying it.

――Until then, you hadn’t expressed your opinion much?

My coach, Dan (Lange) is a very good person, so I thought I couldn’t express my opinion to him. My coach told me several times, “We’re all equals”, but I didn’t believe in myself, so I couldn’t express my opinion. Before, I was afraid to say what I was thinking. When I expressed my opinion when I was a child, everyone rebelled against me. Even as an adult, I was afraid of such rebellion and didn’t want to say anything.
But when I told my coach, he said, “That’s not true. This is a safe place, just say what you think”. Since then, I have been freely sharing my own way of thinking.

――Was there anything that made you gain confidence?

Rather than changing all at once, my coach created a relationship where I was able to gradually express my feelings. He has been waiting for me so that I can have confidence. I don’t believe much even when people say nice things. I just think, “That is a lie”. So it was difficult for me to say “I have confidence”. I was afraid of getting a bad result because of that. But lately I’m feeling confident. I also started therapy with a counselor two years ago. I talk to my counselor about things I’m afraid of or don’t want to talk about. I think that’s why I’ve been able to grow.

 

Increased the meaning of life

――Have you lacked confidence since you were a child?

Yes, I didn’t have any confidence. And since I didn’t have anything to say, “I want to do this” or “I want to try this”, I was just living. That’s why hammer throw was the first thing I felt like I wanted to “put my life on the line”. I wanted to improve every day, and since I discovered hammer throw, I’ve been able to face myself properly. It may be an exaggeration to say that it is a reason to live, but I think it has increased the meaning of life.

――It’s such a blessing to have found a purpose in life, something to devote your life to.

Yes it is! So I am glad it’s like this!

――Do you ever feel that doing hammer throw is tough?

Yes. There are days when I don’t do well at practice, so rather than saying it’s tough, it’s often really frustrating. I get angry when things don’t go my way, and sometimes I feel like, “Why can’t I do it?”
When I’m frustrated, I sometimes drag myself out for a long time. However, what I think is that the times when things aren’t going the way you want are the times when you can grow the most. That’s why I’m sometimes happy when that time comes. I can grow from here. On the other hand, I get scared when nothing is wrong.

――What kind of image do you have of your ideal “throw”?

It changes depending on the time. That’s why I haven’t yet come across my ideal “throw” that says “this is it”. There are some parts of my technique that I don’t like, but I can’t change them since it’s the competition season, so I’m thinking of trying my current throwing style. There were a few times where I said, “This could be my best throw”, but I think it’s far from ideal. Even when I set the Japanese record, it was different. It’s a good feeling, but I’m sure there’s more.

――What areas do you think need improvement?

Becoming physically strong. I would like to increase my weight by about 5kg. I also want to improve my jumping power a little more. When you throw a hammer, you spin around four times, and you need jumping power in the sense that your foot makes strong and short contact with the ground.

 

I don’t believe in God, but it was fate that I found a route back to Japan.

――You have chosen a Japanese citizenship in February 2022. What was the biggest deciding factor?

Because it is Japan! I once attended the U-20 World Championships as a representative of the US, but at the time I didn’t know that I could represent Japan. I was attending USC (University of Southern California), and at that time, Japanese men’s 400m athletes came to a training camp. When I heard that I would be able to represent Japan, I made the decision right away. It took a while, but I did all the paperwork. Even after moving to America as a child, I always wanted to return to Japan. I think America is a wonderful country, but I missed Japan. I don’t believe in God, but it was fate that I found a route back to Japan.

――What is the best thing about Japan?

I love the city, the people, and the food. Transportation is also really easy. I’m always happy when I come to Japan. I would like to train in Japan, but I can’t do it without a coach, so for now I have no choice but to do it in America. I guess the only time I come to Japan is for the Japan National Championships.

――Please come back to Japan soon.

Yes, I will!

――I think you will continue to participate in many competitions as a representative of Japan. Do you ever feel the weight of representing your country?

I think representing your country is a big thing, so I try not to think about it too much. I just want to be able to fight for my country in the world. Next year there will be the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, and in 2026 there will be the Asian Games in Aichi/Nagoya, so that’s what I’m aiming for. With my current record, I can’t compare to the world’s throwers. But I want to be able to compete next year. I want to throw a personal best of 75m.

 

If you can throw in your own way, you can do anything in the world.

――What kind of stage do you feel the World Athletics Championships are for you?

Last year’s Asian Games was the biggest competition I’ve ever competed in, but I was completely unprepared for it. It was a big stadium, the spotlight was shining on, and there were a lot of spectators. There was a feeling of tension I’ve never felt before. I think it’s a great stage anyway. I want to experience that again and get good results. I believe that if I can throw in my own way on that stage, I can do anything in the world. So that’s what I’m aiming for.

――Please tell us your goals for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

Everyone wants to win and everyone wants to get a medal. It’s easy to say, but you have to throw 80m to get first place. I have to improve my record by about 10 meters. So for now, I think my goal is to get to the finals. The 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics will be different, but next year I think my goals will be to throw in my own way and to make it to the finals. It’s better to start mentally preparing for that from this year, and I want to become aware of that.

――Please tell us what you are looking forward to or expect at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

To be in Japan. It may be strange to call it home since I don’t train here, but I feel a sense of pride as a Japanese person. I want to show my teammates and coaches what Japan is like. I’m really looking forward to that!

 

 

Four hours of video of just walking around Tokyo

――Please tell us about your personal side from here. How do you often spend your holidays?

I really don’t do anything. I work and practice, then come home and cook and eat. I play games because I love them. I love to watch people playing games on YouTube. Lately, I did a puzzle with a friend. I don’t go out that much. Going out costs money, hot, and crowded, so I prefer staying inside.

――What kind of games do you do?

On Xbox, I play a game called “Overwatch” a lot, and I also play mobile games. I want to buy a gaming PC, but it’s expensive.

――So that is why you watch people playing games on YouTube.

Yes, that’s right. And I also watch comedies. Sometimes I watch about 4 hours of videos just walking around Tokyo. It’s like having that as a background music.

――Please let me know if there’s anything you’ve been into lately.

Not much. But sometimes there’s something I get addicted to, and once it was the Rubik’s Cube. When my practice wasn’t going well, I played the Rubik’s Cube to try not to think about anything. I also get really into anime and manga, but once I finish watching them, there’s nothing left to do.

――What manga and anime did you watch?

A manga I’ve recently become addicted to is called “Dandadan”. I also liked “Attack on Titan”. Also, “Violet Evergarden” made me cry.

 

When I come to Japan, “Kirby of the Stars”

――What is your most memorable memory from your childhood in Japan?

I guess the school left an impression on me. I had a lot of friends, but it was really sad when I was going to America and I wouldn’t be able to see them anymore. I also loved my childhood home, parks, and shopping, so those are the memories I have

――Is there anything you always do when you come to Japan?

I love “Kirby of the stars”, so I play Gacha Gacha (capsule toys) with my friends to get it. I will definitely buy Kirby of the stars. We don’t have it in America, and it is so cute. Even if we do have them, it is expensive. Also I go to Mister Donut. I’ll eat a lot of Japanese food and walk around. I don’t have much free time, but I’ll do what I can!

――You like Pon de ring donut at Mister Donut?

Yes, I am planning to go after this. I also like meat buns, but since I’m here during the Japan National Championships (around June), they don’t sell them that much. Also, Japanese bakeries are delicious. It’s a little different from America.

――Do you have a favorite place in Japan?

I lived in Nagoya, and I like the normal cityscape. Rather than having a favorite place, I think everything is beautiful. But I want to see the cherry blossoms. I’ve never seen it because I can’t come back to Japan at that time. I want to try the cherry blossom viewing.
I like Japan, but I’ve never researched places that tourists go to. It’s like meeting someone you know and saying, “Take me somewhere nice”. Last year, they took me to Asakusa and Sky Tree. When I was a kid, it was probably Tokyo Tower.

 

I want my performance to make Japan proud

――If you were to recommend a player or someone you respect other than yourself, who would it be?

Since I became a hammer thrower, the people I have admired are Koji Murofushi and his father, Shigenobu. They are amazing people. The other one is Haruka Kitaguchi, a javelin thrower. We met in Poland in 2016. I think it’s amazing that a world top athlete can throw a spear that far. In the hammer throw, (Shota) Fukuda in the Men’s hammer throw is also improving his record. He is a very good boy.

――Are there any athletes on this team that you often talk to?

I just joined the Japanese national team, so I don’t know much about them, but I suppose the men’s 400 m runner? I became acquainted with the player who had come to America at the camp. Yuki Joseph Nakajima trains at my university where I graduated, so we sometimes talk. I’m looking forward to meeting various athletes at the championships in Japan.

――Who has influenced you the most?

That would be my coach. When I was in university, I didn’t know who I was. I lacked confidence and never thought about what I wanted to do or become. When I was really sick. Mentally, physically, technically, everything was in a slump. That’s why my coach was always by my side and helped me a lot. Gradually, my mental health and the way I see myself improved.

――Finally, please give us a message for our readers who are looking forward to the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25!

I want to train a lot so that I can throw farther in 2025. I want to remember this and do my best every day, and make the people of Japan proud of me with my performance. I want everyone to be proud of Japan through this. I am also worried that I will get bad results. But I will do my best to give a performance that will make everyone proud!

Instagram：joyiriis

text by Moritaka Ohashi
photographs by Uta Mukuo

Co-production：The Local Organising Committee of World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25