Sayoko Kitabatake

Lore & Background

Sayoko Kitabatake, born Sayoko Kawauchi, competed under her birth name at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She placed 53rd in the women's individual ranking round with a 72-arrow score of 601. In the first elimination round she defeated 12th-ranked Nataliya Burdeyna of Ukraine 137-129, then lost to Alison Williamson of Great Britain 154-150 in the round of 32. Williamson went on to win the bronze medal. Kitabatake finished 26th in the individual event and was also a member of the 14th-place Japanese women's team.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Kitabatake scored 616 in the ranking round, earning the 46th seed. She beat 19th seed Justyna Mospinek of Poland 103-101 in the first round, then lost to 14th seed Bérengère Schuh of France 112-100 in the second round. In the team event, she competed alongside Nami Hayakawa and Yuki Hayashi. The team ranked seventh after the ranking round with a combined score of 1,881, defeated Colombia 206-199 in the first round, and lost to Great Britain 201-196 in the quarter-finals.

Reader's Guide

Sayoko Kitabatake's Olympic career spans two Games, demonstrating sustained participation at the highest level of international archery. Her 2004 performance included an upset victory over a higher-seeded opponent, advancing to the round of 32 where she faced the eventual bronze medalist. In 2008 she again won her opening match before falling to a higher seed. Her team contributions in both Olympics show her role within Japan's national program, with the 2008 team reaching the quarter-finals before being eliminated by the second-seeded British squad. These results place her among Japanese archers who have competed on the Olympic stage, with her individual finishes of 26th and her team's quarter-final appearance representing her competitive achievements as documented in Olympic records.

Did You Know?

• She competed under her birth name Sayoko Kawauchi at the 2004 Olympics.
• In 2004 she defeated 12th-ranked Nataliya Burdeyna 137-129 in the first elimination round.
• She lost to eventual bronze medalist Alison Williamson in the round of 32 in 2004.
• At the 2008 Olympics she scored 616 in the ranking round, the same as teammate Yuki Hayashi.