Kushibuchi finishes ninth in national high school track, vows to return

Kushibuchi Mitsumi, a 16-year-old second-year student at Hakuho Girls High School and graduate of Hiratsuka Taiyo Junior High School, ran in the Inter-High School Championships in Shiga from July 30 to August 5. She placed ninth in the 1,500-meter event after narrowly missing a higher finish and said, “I was just one step short,” expressing disappointment. Kushibuchi vowed to seek revenge and improve her performance in future competitions.