Hazuki Watanabe

Hazuki Watanabe (渡部 葉月, born 7 August 2004) is a Japanese artistic gymnast. She is the 2022 World Champion on the balance beam. She was part of the bronze medal winning team at the 2022 Asian Championships. Additionally she represented Japan at the inaugural Junior World Championships.

In this Japanese name, the surname is Watanabe.

Hazuki Watanabe
渡部 葉月
Watanabe at the 2019 Junior World Championships
Personal information
Nickname(s)Ha-chan, Haki
Country represented Japan
Born (2004-08-07) 7 August 2004
Mie Prefecture, Japan
HometownNagoya, Japan
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2019–present (JPN)
ClubChukyo Gymnastics Club
Head coach(es)Hikaru Tanaka
Medal record
Women's artistic gymnastics
Representing  Japan
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2022 LiverpoolBalance beam
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – third place2022 DohaTeam

Early life

Watanabe was born in Mie, Japan in 2004.[1]

Career

2019

Watanabe competed at the 2019 City of Jesolo Trophy where she helped Japan finish fifth as a team. She was later selected to compete at the inaugural Junior World Championships alongside Shoko Miyata and Chiaki Hatakeda; they finished eleventh as a team.[2]

Vault
Uneven bars
Balance beam
Floor exercise
Watanabe at the 2019 Junior World Championships

2022

Watanabe competed at the Asian Championships where she helped Japan finish third as a team.[3] Later in the year Watanabe was selected to represent Japan at the 2022 World Championships alongside Shoko Miyata, Kokoro Fukasawa, Ayaka Sakaguchi, Chiharu Yamada, and Arisa Kasahara; she was initially the alternate. However Kasahara later withdrew from the team due to injury and Watanabe was added to the main team. While at the World Championships Watanabe helped Japan finish seventh as a team and individually she qualified to the balance beam final. During the balance beam final Watanabe won gold, becoming the third Japanese gymnast to win the World title on balance beam after Keiko Tanaka-Ikeda and Urara Ashikawa.[4][5]

Competitive history
Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
Junior
2019City of Jesolo Trophy513
All-Japan Championships9
NHK Trophy6
Junior World Championships11
All-Japan Junior Championships7
All-Japan Team Championships73rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Senior
2020All-Japan Senior Championships42
2021All-Japan Championships22
NHK Trophy21
All-Japan Event Championships6
All-Japan Team Championships135
2022All-Japan Championships4
NHK Trophy4
Asian Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
World Championships71st place, gold medalist(s)
2023DTB Pokal Team Challenge5
DTB Pokal Mixed Cup1st place, gold medalist(s)
All-Japan Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)

References
  1. "FIG Profile: Hazuki Watanabe". International Gymnastics Federation.
  2. "1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. 28 June 2019.
  3. "Favourites China Claim MAG, WAG Team and All-Around Titles". Asian Gymnastics Union. 16 June 2022.
  4. "Gymnastics: Hazuki Watanabe becomes youngest Japanese female world champion". Kyodo News. 6 November 2022.
  5. "Hazuki Watanabe becomes youngest Japanese woman to win title at artistic gymnastics world championships". The Japan Times. 7 November 2022.
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