Rachid Muratake
Born in Chiba in 2002. Men’s 110m hurdles Japanese record holder (13.04)
Graduated from Matsudo Kokusai High School and Juntendo University. Belongs to Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL) from April 2024.
Won the Inter-High Championship in his third year of high school and became the top of his generation. After entering university, he became even more outstanding, and in his second year in 2021, he surpassed the Olympic dispatch standard record and in his third year, he participated in the World Athletics Championships for the first time at the Oregon 2022 Games.
In September 2023, when he was a fourth-year student, he finally matched Shunsuke Izumiya’s Japanese record of 13.04 seconds and he became at the forefront of the men’s 110mH world, which is experiencing unprecedented excitement.
In 2024, he steadily improved his results by winning major domestic tournaments and taking 6th place in the Diamond League. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, he became the first Japanese athlete to advance to the finals, and achieved fifth place, the highest ever in the short-distance event.
He is the top athlete expected to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
“I felt hopeless” before the finals
――You finished 5th in the men’s 110mH at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Looking back, what kind of tournament do you feel it was?
I have been practicing for a long time with the desire to “participate in the Olympics” and the goal of “making it to the finals”. I felt a certain sense of satisfaction that I was able to accomplish this, and that I was able to compete properly in the finals and come in 5th place. Although I didn’t win any medals, I think it was a very rewarding tournament.
――How did you feel before competing in the finals?
When I was warming up, I felt quite hopeless. Am I really going to run now? I was nervous like never before and was depressed until I finished my warming up. I thought, “The other athletes must be nervous too”, but when I went into the call room, it wasn’t like that at all. Even before we started running, they were praising each other for their good fight, and except for the match, they had no sides. It was shocking, but it also relieved some of the tension. Also, my mother was there, and she contacted me on LINE and said, “Your face looks scary…” I was told to “have more fun and laugh”. It was a great stage, and I was able to change to a positive mindset, by thinking, “I have nothing to lose, so I will run as hard as I can”.
But before the finals, he laughed and said, “I was depressed”.
――Did that feeling lead to the “JoJo pose” when entering the final?
No, I was thinking about doing that the day before. Towa Uzawa (who reached the semi-finals in the men’s 200m at the Paris 2024), who will join JAL next year, loves anime, and he often does that kind of pose when his name is called at a match. When I was having dinner with Uzawa the night before, I suddenly remembered, “Come to think of it, you were doing a lot of different poses”, so I took it upon myself to use it as a reference. Noah Lyles also performs “Kamehameha” and the audience gets excited. So, I tried it… and the response was better than I expected.
――It was a hot topic in Japan as well. Have you changed anything after experiencing the Olympics?
I thought the Olympics would be something to watch on TV, so I was a bit intimidated when it came to running alongside athletes who were showing great performance. But when I actually talked to them, I felt a sense of kinship with them, and I realized that they were “people just like us”. After going through the national championships and preliminaries held in various places in the same way as me, they participate in the Olympics with various feelings on their shoulders. They are not just putting on a monster performance. After talking with them, I realized that “there was no need to be afraid”, and I realized that communication is extremely important in order to aim for higher levels.
It became a big topic in Japan as well.
I’m basically slacking off when I am in the air jumping hurdles?!
――Please also tell us about your career so far. How did you start track and field?
I started in the fifth year of elementary school. Since I was fast, my teachers asked me “if I wanted to try track and field”. At the elementary school I went to, fourth graders were allowed to join club activities, but I refused because I wouldn’t be able to play after school. However, when I was in the fifth year of elementary school, I decided to join the class on a whim, and it turned out to be surprisingly fun. I feel like that’s what got me started.
――When you were in junior high school, you competed in other events such as the 100m and long jump, but what made you choose hurdles in the end?
I can run and I can jump. My interest in hurdles which have both aroused since my first year of junior high school. I started hurdles seriously in the summer of my first year of junior high school. During practice, former high school students visited to teach us. We were divided into 100m, long jump, and hurdles, and there were many people who wanted to run 100m or long jump, but there were no one for hurdles. It was a time when people were just getting interested in hurdles, and there weren’t that many people competing in hurdles. I thought, “Maybe I can compete better than the 100m or the long jump”, and when I actually tried it, I was more into it than I expected. As I continued to practice, my advisor teacher suggested that “I might be suited for the sport”, so I decided to focus on hurdles.
*Courtesy of Rachid Muratake
――What do you think is the fun and difficulty of hurdles?
Well…, everything is difficult, but for example, how I can get to top speed in 7 to 8 steps from the start, how I can push as hard as I can to avoid hitting the hurdles and avoid losing time, and how I can run fast between hurdles. Personally, I find it easier than running 100m on the flat. When I’m in the air jumping hurdles, I’m basically slacking off.
――What! You can rest when you are jumping!?
If you look at the photos and videos, you can tell that my face doesn’t look like I am putting much effort into it. It’s only for a moment, but I can take a proper breath. Although there are various difficulties in the hurdles, it is actually very exciting to master these technical aspects. I am basically a stubborn person. I like to pursue things with particularity, and I think I can use that personality in my competitions.
It is fun mastering technical aspects.
*Courtesy of Rachid Muratake
Two turning points
――Was there anything that happened that was a turning point in your competitive career?
There are two turning points. One is when I was in the second year of High School. It was my first time participating in the Inter-High, and I finished in 8th place, an incomplete combustion result. The following fall season was filled with tournaments such as U-18 and Kanto Newcomer Track and Field Competition, and I was trying to do my best in preparation for them, but that is when I suffered from lumbar spinal separation and was unable to move for about 4 months. I had some exciting tournaments and school trips coming up, so I felt pretty depressed… However, my advisor teacher was calm and told me, “There’s still one more year left, so there’s no need to rush” and thanks to the help with my rehabilitation, I was able to jump hurdles again at the beginning of the year. At the Osaka Indoor Athletics Championships in February, I was able to win the championship even though I still had pain in my lower back. Through these experiences, I have become less aware of my fear of injury. Sometimes I can train with a purpose even if I take a break. I was able to cultivate the courage to take proper breaks and not force myself to attend matches.
――And the other turning point?
Making a jump start at the Japan Championships with the aim of participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It was the most frustrating match of my life. It wasn’t that I couldn’t compete and win, but I couldn’t even get a start. That reality was very frustrating. At that time, my record was improving and I was in a position to reach the Olympics. The level of the match was increasing, and it was a match that showed all my weaknesses in not being able to keep up with the rapidly changing environment, including the reactions of those around me. Somehow, as time passed, I started to think that it couldn’t end like this, so I was able to participate in the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022 the following year. I was able to leave a good result at the Paris 2024 Olympics. These two events were major turning points.
It made him grow a lot.
――Japan’s hurdles used to be said to be “the farthest event from the world”, but recently the level has been rising rapidly. What do you think is the reason for that?
I’ve been riding the tide of inflation, so I honestly don’t understand. However, as records gradually began to emerge, some people started using the athletes movements as a model. If we can make this move into a reality, we can achieve similar records, and I think it is through friendly competition that these athletes have come this far. People are calling people, or rather, various athletes are emerging, and recently it has spread to junior high and high school students, so I think “Inflation is amazing”. I have also absorbed the good points of various athletes and made them like my own. I believe that inflation started from Wataru Yazawa, Shuno Takayama, and Taio Kanai, so when I was in high school I often watched videos of the Japan Championships and the World Championships. Shunsuke Izumiya also has amazing movements, so I’m using him as a model.
Learn from the pioneers who have elevated us and now lead the way.
The catalyst for the popularity of track and field
――What kind of experience was participating in the Oregon 2022 World Athletics Championships for you?
Due to the frustration of not being able to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, I practiced with the aim to earn the right to participate at the Oregon games by using my own strength, and I was able to achieve that goal. However, after I actually got accepted to participate, I felt a little off and relieved. When I got to the actual race in such a state, I felt like I was in a dream, thinking, “It really is World Athletics”, and before I knew it, it was over. At that time, I think I commented, “I’m glad I was able to run on the World Athletics stage”. Shunsuke Izumitani and Shuhei Ishikawa, who participated together with me, had advanced to the semi-finals, and I felt a deep sense of frustration afterward over the fact that I was the only one who didn’t qualify.
He felt a deep sense of frustration afterwards.
――What do you feel is the significance of having the World Athletics Championships held in Tokyo?
As I traveled overseas this year, I realized that track and field is much more popular overseas than in Japan. The same goes for France, and Germany was amazing too. Track and field may be a favorite sport in Japan, but it is still far behind baseball and football. Women’s javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi won the gold medal at the Olympics, and relay events make it to the finals every time, so the level of competition is rising for both men and women. With the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 taking place, we believe it will be a good opportunity for the Japanese people to see the rising level of competition. I hope this will be a catalyst for the popularity of track and field in Japan.
――Please tell us your goals for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
To receive a medal. I participated in the Olympics this year and was able to win, but I was treated completely differently than medalists. No matter how much I win or break the highest ranking ever, I will become a shadow in front of the medalists. After all, I think winning a medal is the only way to prove yourself, and in order to achieve that goal, I want to win a medal with a better color. The best result in men’s short distance at the World Athletics Championships so far is Shingo Suetsugu’s 3rd place (Paris 2003). I want to achieve even better results and show it to everyone.
I made myself back then a bad example!
――Please tell your personal side from here. What kind of child were you when you were little?
I was much more emotional than I am now and cried a lot. I hated losing, and even when playing games with friends, I would cry if I lost. Also, I was often scolded by my teacher. I got yelled at for running down the hallway, and I got yelled at for not taking cleaning seriously… When I was cleaning the toilets at elementary school, my friends and I were playfully spraying water with a hose, and we ended up splashing water on our homeroom teacher.
――Do you still get emotional?
I am now able to control it quite a bit. I think I have become more rational from high school onwards. I haven’t shed a single tear this year, and I haven’t been moved to tears since last year.
――What word would you use to describe your personality?
Well, that’s difficult to answer myself. I try to be as polite as possible when dealing with people from work, coaches, managers, and close friends, but I don’t know…
――I am very grateful that you answered the interview very thoroughly.
No, No, not at all.That’s why I’m so lazy when I’m at home. There may be a gap there.
――Who taught you this?
I used to cause trouble a lot when I was little, so I think that’s a lesson that I learned. I use my younger self as a bad example and try to be as polite as possible and not be rude. However, when this article comes out, there may be people who think, “Is it true?”
But actually…?
Before I knew it, my stubbornness had reached the level of an occupational hazard.
――When you were young and before starting track and field, what kind of adult did you want to be?
Nothing special. I just wanted to enjoy my current life! When we are in elementary school, we are often asked about our future dreams and asked to write about them in essays. Actually, before this interview, there was a lecture at the elementary school I attended, and I looked back at my yearbook and collection of essays in order to make slides using PowerPoint. I had written down future dreams for each of them, but each grade wrote something different about it.
――By the way, what was written?
“Food and beverage industry” or “game creator” etc… They are completely different, aren’t they? Other than that, things like “I want to do a job that uses computers”, so I guess I’ve been living my life by going with the flow as things like that changed depending on the situation. I may have been a person to easily get excited but soon calm down.
What did he tell the children.
――But you said you were stubborn. Did you become like that after starting track and field?
Maybe so. I think it’s getting worse and worse. I wonder if there are other aspects that come out, such as how to tackle hurdles. Maybe it is an occupational hazard.
――Does it affect your daily life?
This is exactly the case with the slides I created this time. I didn’t have to read so many of the graduation albums and collection of essays that I started looking at for reference, but before I knew it, I had read almost all of them… There are 1st to 6th graders who have a knowledge gap, so I tried to write in hiragana to make it easier for everyone to read, avoid using difficult words, include animations so the children wouldn’t get bored, and make sure to include lots of videos and photos… I like games, and I thought there were a lot of kids that do, so I posted pictures of myself playing games to get people interested. The more I make it, the more ideas come to me, and I want to include this and that! That’s how it starts. Before I realized it was midnight… It is a terrible illness isn’t it. I’m glad the lecture went well, but I couldn’t sleep because I was looking at my computer all night. It’s not good to cause trouble for other things.
Hurdler = Gentle on the outside, but on the inside…?
――What kind of games do you like?
I really like Pokemon and have been playing it ever since I was in elementary school. I didn’t play it when I was studying for entrance exams, but other than that I always buy new releases when they come out. When I was in elementary school, I spent about a cumulative total of 400 hours playing one software. Nowadays, the range of things you can do with the same Pokemon game is expanding, so you can collect all types of Pokemon and rare individuals that are different from the usual colors. I am such a perfectionist. I am insane.
――It seems like you also like manga and anime, do you have any recommendations?
I love the manga, “Frieren at the Funeral” very much. It was recently made into an anime. When the first volume came out, I was just going to the bookstore and looking for some interesting manga. I looked at the outline on the back of the book and thought it looked interesting, so I bought it and was totally hooked. Now that it’s been made into an anime and the response has been amazing, I am pretending to be a long-time fan by thinking “I’ve known it from the beginning”. No, please don’t write it because it might offend a lot of people!
――If you could recommend an athlete other than yourself, who would it be?
All hurdlers are interesting, regardless of gender. The men’s hurdlers, Shunsuke Izumitani and Shunya Takayama, and the women’s hurdlers, Mako Fukube and Yumi Tanaka, are all really unique. It’s just my impression, but all hurdlers are kind on the outside, but there are many people with very strong personalities on the inside. Every time I meet the person I just mentioned, I think, “They have great character”. Especially Shusuke Isumitani and Mako Fukube… But maybe everyone feels the same way about me.
Rachid Muratake is also… not inferior to others?
――I see. Finally, please give us a message for our readers who are looking forward to the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25!
I’ve said a lot, but what I’ve said so far is my thoughts on the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. I want to practice getting a medal with a better color, and I want to achieve it in the actual race. Also, since the world’s most prestigious competition will be held in Tokyo, I want people to enjoy the various events at the venue and on TV, and experience world-class track and field first-hand. I will think of a new pose for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to your support!
Instagram：rashi2ra__
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text by Moritaka Ohashi
photographs by Uta Mukuo
