Hitomi Nakajima’s World Championships Debut Features Flashy Makeup and Sweet-and-Spicy Styling

Life changed after the World Championships in Athletics

Beneath the flashy makeup, decorated nails, and sweet-and-spicy coordinated outfit lies a set of sharply defined abs. The contrast between her everyday life in Osaka and how she appears on the track is another part of her charm.

“I like baggy clothes and vintage T-shirts. During the season I can’t really go out much, so wearing something other than training gear helps me reset my mood. Dressing up, getting dolled up — it lets me enjoy a different version of myself from the one who’s always grinding through tough training.”

Hitomi Nakajima (Hasegawa Sports Facilities), who competes in the women’s 100m hurdles, has continued updating her personal best at age 30 and made her first appearance at the World Athletics Championships, held in Tokyo in September. The late-blooming new heroine drew attention when she struck a Demon Slayer pose during the athlete introductions just before her semifinal race, and after the championships, she signed a contract with U.S. sports brand Nike. She is likely the most talked-about female athlete in Japan right now.

“The World Championships changed my life. Surrounded by a full crowd, receiving cheers louder than anything I’ve ever experienced… saying it was memorable doesn’t do it justice — it felt like receiving a huge, beautiful flower.”

Raised in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, Nakajima initially joined the basketball club after entering junior high school, but later transferred to the track and field club. Perhaps because of the jumping ability she gained from basketball, she became Japan’s top hurdler in junior high and high school.

“But in university and as a working adult, I couldn’t produce results for a long time. The memory of being number one in Japan doesn’t fade easily, and I continued competing because I wanted to stand there again. When people now call me a ‘late bloomer,’ it really makes me realize how long I had disappeared from the spotlight (laughs).”

Track events can be brutally honest for athletes — your performance is reflected directly and visibly in your time.

“There are athletes in this world who are called early bloomers. But even at 30, if you put in the effort, you can still grow and break records — that’s what I wanted to prove.”

The “FRIDAY” November 14/21 double issue (on sale October 31) and the paid digital edition FRIDAY GOLD go into detail about Nakajima’s new ambitions.

For more details and multiple photos, click below ↓

From the November 14/21, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”