Kazu Kimura delivered a milestone performance at the Battle Born Classic in Reno, Nevada, setting personal bests in both the men’s indoor 60-meter dash and long jump for the University of California, Riverside. His mark of 7.51 meters in the long jump won his event and moved him to second all-time in program history.
The jump is the best by a Highlander in the event since 2014, and currently ranks 13th in the NCAA Division I West Region. Kimura now trails only 2013 All-American Ted Hooper on UCR’s all-time list.
The performance came after what Kimura described as a motivating start to the season. After opening the indoor campaign at Northern Arizona University with marks that did not meet his expectations, he focused on refining both his technical approach and mental preparation leading to Reno.
“I knew I had so much more in me and in my marks,” Kimura said. “I was super motivated to get it back. I was journaling what I needed to do technically and mentally and just focusing on the whole process.”
Kimura reviewed film with his coach between attempts and adjusted his positioning on the runway. His top mark came on his final jump of competition. Midway through the Battle Born Classic in Reno, he dealt with ankle discomfort that required attention from the athletic trainer, but continued competing for his final attempts.
“When I saw 7.51 on the board, I was honestly in shock,” Kimura said. “I knew it could happen, but seeing that number was amazing.”
In addition to winning the long jump, Kimura recorded a personal best in the 60-meter dash, marking a strong all around showing early in the season.
His efforts earned him Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Men’s Indoor Track and Field athlete of the week honors, the first such recognition in program history for UC Riverside men’s track and field. Kimura said the recognition was difficult to process in the moment but credited his coaches and teammates for their role in the performance.
“They made me realize what I just did,” Kimura said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be here.”
A native of San Jose, California, Kimura began his athletic career focused primarily on basketball before transitioning to track and field in high school. He later joined UCR as a walk-on, a move he described as both exciting and uncertain.
“I was honestly scared,” Kimura said. “I didn’t know if I was going to fit in or keep up.”
Kimura said that his first year competing at the college level required both physical and mental adjustments. After struggling with confidence during portions of his previous years he described this year as a turning point.
“This year feels different,” Kimura said. “I started with more confidence and being more on top of things.”
Going forward, Kimura said he hopes to continue improving his marks this season. Among his goals are surpassing 25 feet in the long jump and competing for a conference title. Breaking the school record, currently held by Hooper, is also something he has on his mind.
“I see the record on the wall every day,” Kimura said. “Before it felt far away. Now it feels close.”
With the season in progress, Kimura’s performance in Reno places him among the top competitors in the West Region and builds momentum for the Highlanders moving forward.
