Nanase Shoji

Nanase Shoji
庄司七瀬
Born1989 (age 36–37)
Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Gymnastics career
DisciplineRhythmic gymnastics
Country
represented		 Japan
RetiredYes

The native form of this personal name is Shoji Nanase. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Nanase Shoji (庄司 七瀬; born 1989) is a Japanese retired individual rhythmic gymnast. She now works for Yamagata City Hall.[1]

Career

Shoji was born in Yamagata Prefecture and began training in rhythmic gymnastics there when she was five years old.[2] As a gymnast, she was known for her pivots (spins)[3] as well as her speed and power.[4]

In 2004, she came in second at the Japanese National Middle School Women's Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.[5] In August 2005, she won her first of three National High School Athletic Championships titles.[6] In September, she competed at the World Cup stage in Varna, Bulgaria, where she placed 5th.[7] That November, she was fourth at the Japanese Championships.[8]

The next year, in May, she competed at the Japanese Youth Championships. She demonstrated her skill with pivots at the competition and won the silver medal, but she said that "I couldn't perform acceptably". She competed at the World Cup stage in Irkutsk in June and finished in 16th place.[9] In August, she won her second National High School Athletic Championships; she was the first rhythmic gymnast to repeat her victory there since Rieko Matsunaga had done so 9 years earlier.[4]

In March 2007, Shoji won the National High School Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in March. In May, she competed in a selection competition for international competitions, but after making mistakes in her clubs and ribbon routines, she finished in 13th place.[10] Later in May, she placed fourth at the Japanese Youth Championships.[2] In August, she won her third consecutive National High School Athletic Championships. She was the second-ever women's rhythmic gymnast to do so after Kumiko Fumoto did so 31 years before her. Shoji said that she had won her third consecutive title "by chance" and that she had wanted to compete without making mistakes, since it was her last Championships.[11] In November, she placed 9th at the Japanese Championships. Afterward, she expressed hope that she would be selected for the 2009 World Championships, held in Mie, Japan, and stated that she had chosen to attend the Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education, where many Olympic rhythmic gymnasts have studied.[12]

In September 2008, she competed in the National Collegiate Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships and finished in second place.[13] She placed 5th at the National Championships in December.[14]

The next year, she was selected for the 2009 World Games held in Taiwan.[15] She competed there in July; her best result was 16th place in the hoop competition.[16] In August, she won a second silver all-around medal at the National Collegiate Championships, and she won the ribbon final.[17][18] In October, she participated in the Asian Championships, where she competed with rope (5th place) and ribbon (7th place).[16]

Shoji continued to competed in 2010, but it was a difficult year for her, and she made an unusual number of mistakes in competition.[19]

The Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education Rhythmic Gymnastics Club attends a training camp in Yamagata Prefecture every year. However, in 2011, the camp was almost cancelled due to the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The Yamagata Rhythmic Gymnastics Association requested that the training camp be held once the gymnasium, which had been in use as an evacuation center, became available again. The club held a free showcase during the camp. Shoji was one of the members who attended. Along with her fellow Yamagata native teammate Nachi Misawa, she stated ahead of the showcase, "We're hearing that many people from Tōhoku will come to watch, so we want to extend cheer to the victims through our performances."[20]

In August 2011, she finished 10th at her final National Collegiate Championships.[21] The following month, she was accepted as a Yamagata city employee through a special selection process. She said of her new position, "Until now, I was in the position of being supported by Yamagata. I want to repay that."[22]

References

  1. ^ "地元出身トップアスリート３人が市職員に　故郷山形での活躍期待" [3 Local Top Athletes Become City Employees - High Hopes in Their Native Yamagata]. Yamagata News Online (in Japanese). 8 September 2011. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012.
  2. ^ a b 塩谷, 正人 (2 June 2007). "31年ぶり３年連続女王へ" [For the First Time in 31 Years, a 3-time Queen]. nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 17 April 2012.
  3. ^ 椎名, 桂子 (23 May 2006). ""努力の人"高橋の優勝　新体操新時代の足音" ["Hard worker" Takahashi Wins - A New Era of Rhythmic Gymnastics is Approaching]. sportsnavi.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 15 September 2006.
  4. ^ a b 高宮, 憲治 (8 August 2006). "山形北・庄司が連覇" [North Yamagata's Shouji Wins Again]. nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 17 April 2012.
  5. ^ "第35回全国中学校新体操選手権大会" [35th National Middle School Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships] (PDF). Japanese Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 21 August 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2005.
  6. ^ "大西完全制覇－インターハイ" [Onishi Completely Dominates - Inter-High School Championships]. ShikokuNews (in Japanese). 13 August 2005. Archived from the original on 27 November 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  7. ^ "2005 バルナ国際競技会" [2005 Varna World Cup] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 4 September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012.
  8. ^ Kobayashi, Takako (7 November 2005). "Rhythmic Gymnastics Japanese Nationals 2005". Gymmedia.com. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  9. ^ "2006イルクーツク国際" [Irkutst World Cup] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 24 June 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012.
  10. ^ "第28回世界新体操選手権大会日本代表決定競技会" [The 28th World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships Representative Selection Competition] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 6 May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012.
  11. ^ "庄司３連覇も「たまたまです」／高校総体" [Shoji's Third Consecutive Victory "By chance"]. Nikkansports.com (in Japanese). 4 August 2007. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012.
  12. ^ 柴田, 寛人 (13 December 2007). "新体操の庄司が東女体大進学" [Rhythmic Gymnast Shoji to Attend Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education]. Nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 17 April 2012.
  13. ^ "第60回 全日本学生新体操選手権大会" [60th National Collegiate Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 6 September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2012.
  14. ^ "第61回 全日本新体操選手権大会" [61st Japanese Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 6 December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2012.
  15. ^ "日高が首位で最終選考会へ／世界新体操の２次選考会" [Hidaka Advances to Final Selection Round in First Place / World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships 2nd Selection Round]. Shikoku News (in Japanese). 6 May 2009. Archived from the original on 23 February 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  16. ^ a b "１、平成 21 年度 事業報告" [2009 Program Report] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 August 2012.
  17. ^ "第61回 全日本学生新体操選手権大会" [61st National Collegiate Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 16 August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012.
  18. ^ "第61回 全日本学生新体操選手権大会" [61st National Collegiate Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 17 August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012.
  19. ^ 椎名, 桂子 (17 November 2010). "オールジャパン直前企画27　大学生以上の女子選手たち⑤" [All-Japan Pre-Competition Feature #27: Female Athletes (University Level and Above) — Part 5]. Sportsnavi (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 30 July 2017.
  20. ^ "東女体大新体操部が合宿開始　山形・三沢ら県勢3人参加" [Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education Rhythmic Gymnastics Club Begins Training Camp - Three Local Athletes Including Yamagata and Misawa Participate]. Yamagata News Online (in Japanese). 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012.
  21. ^ "第63回 全日本学生新体操選手権大会" [63rd National Collegiate Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships] (PDF). Japan Gymnastics Association (in Japanese). 5 August 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2012.
  22. ^ 安藤, 龍朗; 浅妻, 博之; 鈴木, 健太 (3 April 2012). "入社・辞令交付式 各地で 新社会人、決意新た" [New Employee and Appointment Change Ceremonies: Everywhere, New Working Adults Have Renewed Resolve]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese).
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