Hitomi NIIYA leads the final of the women's 10,000 metres at the 2013 World Championships
in Moscow. She finished fifth - her best track performance in a major championship.
The following year she was forced to retire from athletics.
With regard to her early retirement at just age 25, Niiya gave the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis
in her right foot in November, 2012 as her main reason. Niiya won the 2007 Tokyo Marathon at the age
of eighteen in her debut over the marathon distance.
1
|
Tirunesh DIBABA |
ETH
|
30:43.35
|
2
|
Gladys CHERONO |
KEN |
30:45.17 |
3
|
Belaynesh OLJIRA |
ETH |
30:46.98 |
4
|
Emily CHEBET |
KEN |
30;47.02 |
5
|
Hitomi NIIYA |
JPN |
30:56.70 |
6
|
Shitaye ESHETE |
BRN |
31:22.11 |
7 |
Selly Chepyego KAPTICH |
KEN |
31:22.11 |
8 |
Shalane FLANAGAN |
USA |
31:34.83 |
Her personal best performances were:
3000 Metres 9:08.86 Okayama 18 JUN 2005
5000 Metres 15:10.20 London 07 AUG 2012
10,000 Metres 30:56.70 Moskva 11 AUG 2013
Half Marathon 1:11:41 Matsue 16 MAR 2008
30 Kilometres 1:45:01 Tokyo 18 FEB 2007
Marathon 2:30:58 Nagoya 08 MAR 2009