Nanami Takenaka Explained

Nanami Takenaka
Birth Date:2 December 1998
Birth Place:Aichi, Japan
Discipline:Rhythmic Gymnastics
Level:Senior International Elite
Natlteam:2017
Club:Minami Gymnastics Club / Toyota Motor Corporation
Headcoach:Yukari Murata
Show-Medals:yes
Medaltemplates:
Native Name:竹中 七海

is a Japanese group rhythmic gymnast. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[1] [2]

Personal life and early career

Takenaka began rhythmic gymnastics at age 5 after having a trial lesson because she found it fun. She began to train with the national team in her second year of middle school after being chosen at an audition, and she became a group member in her first year of high school.[3]

She attended Japan Women's College of Physical Education and graduated in 2021.[4]

Career

Takenaka was a traveling reserve member of the Japanese group for the 2016 Summer Olympics. She strongly desired to compete on the floor at the next Summer Olympics.

Takenaka competed in her first World Championships in 2017 in Pesaro, Italy. The Japanese group won bronze in the group all-around, bronze in 5 hoops, and silver in 3 ropes + 2 balls.[5] In 2018, she was presented with an award by the Japan Gymnastics Association.[6]

She again represented Japan as part of the group at the 2019 World Championships. The team won silver in the group all-around. In the event finals, they won silver in 3 hoops + 4 clubs and gold in 5 balls. Their gold medal in the 5 balls final was the first gold World medal for a Japanese group, and they also won a place to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Takenaka was part of the Japanese group at the 2020 Summer Olympics. They qualified for the all-around final and finished in 8th place. Although at one point she had planned to retire from gymnastics after graduating university, Takenaka began to aim to compete at the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics.[7]

In 2022, Takenaka competed at the World Cup stage in Sofia. She competed in just the 3 ribbons + 2 balls routine, and the group won a bronze medal in that event final in addition to silver with 5 hoops.[8] At the 2022 Asian Championships, the Japanese gymnasts won a bronze team medal, and the group won the all-around silver. They also won a bronze medal with 5 hoops and a silver in the 3 ribbons + 2 balls final.[9]

At her third World Championships, Takenaka competed in both routines and came in 8th place in the all-around with the rest of the group. In qualifications, they made mistakes in the 3 ribbons + 2 balls routine, but they had a stronger 5 hoops routine and qualified for the event final, where they placed 5th.[10] [11]

In the next season, 2023, Takenaka again competed as part of the group at the Asian Championships.[12] The group won the all-around bronze medal and also won a silver in one event final, 5 hoops.[13]

She competed at the 2024 World Cup in Sofia in both routines for the Japanese group. They were 11th in the all-around and did not qualify for either event final.[14] At the 2024 Asian Championships, Takenaka won silver in the group all-around and gold in the 5 hoops event final.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rhythmic Gymnastics TAKENAKA Nanami - Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 2021-07-24. 2021-07-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20210724013141/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/rhythmic-gymnastics/athlete-profile-n1319219-takenaka-nanami.htm. dead.
  2. Web site: TAKENAKA Nanami - FIG Athlete Profile.
  3. Web site: 竹中七海|TOYOTA TOPATHLETES|MEMBER| . 2024-05-04 . TOYOTA TOPATHLETES . ja.
  4. Web site: 2020-12-15 . 新体操・竹中七海「五輪で金が夢」高2から年350日間の合宿|東京五輪目指す 女子アスリートの履歴書 . Rhythmic gymnast Takenaka Nanami: "My dream is an Olympic gold medal" . 2024-05-04 . 日刊ゲンダイDIGITAL . ja.
  5. Web site: 24 September 2019 . With World Group title, the sun continues to rise over Japanese Rhythmic Gymnastics . 2024-05-04 . International Gymnastics Federation.
  6. Web site: 竹中七海×杉本早裕吏 フェアリージャパンとしてトヨタ社員として . Takenaka Nanami and Sugimoto Sayuri: As Fairy Japan members and Toyoto Employees . 2024-05-04 . トヨタイムズ . ja.
  7. Web site: 竹中 七海|世界新体操2023 . Takenaka Nanami World Rhythmic Gymnastics 2023 . 2024-05-04 . www.tv-asahi.co.jp . ja.
  8. Web site: 10 April 2022 . Sofia Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup 2022 Results Book . . PDF.
  9. Web site: 26 June 2022 . 13th Senior & 18th Junior Rhythmic Gymnastics Asian Championships . Japan Gymnastics Association . PDF.
  10. Web site: Murata . Yukari . 18 September 2022 . 第39回世界新体操選手権大会レポート3 . 39th World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships Report 3 . 2024-05-04 . Japan Gymnastics Association . ja.
  11. Web site: 18 September 2022 . 39th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships Results . Japan Gymnastics Association.
  12. Web site: 第14回アジアシニア新体操選手権大会 . 14th Senior Asian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships . 2024-05-04 . Japan Gymnastics Association . ja.
  13. Web site: 3 June 2023 . 14th Senior Rhythmic Gymnastics Asian Championships . Japan Gymnastics Association.
  14. Web site: 14 April 2024 . FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Sofia 2024 Results Book . . PDF.
  15. Web site: 15th Senior Rhythmic Gymnastics Asian Championships . 2024-05-04 . sportvokrug.ru.