Junichi Demiya

Junichi Demiya (1917-June 1945) was a Japanese Cyclist. Born in the former City of Tamashima-Cho (currently Kurashiki City) in Okayama Prefecture.

#### Career

In August 1936, he was selected to the Japan National Team for the Berlin Olympics. He participated in the Opening Ceremony, however was unable to participate in the race due to a mistake which was made by the officers in the registration. Three weeks later, together with Takaharu Ishizuka, Fumiku Murakami and Tatsuo Takumi, they participated in the World Championship Cycling Tournament which was held in Zurich and Bern, Switzerland, which eventually became the first Japanese athletes to participate in such tournament, including the Olympics. He participated in Scratch and 145 km Road Races (both in the amateur category), and he finished in 7th place in the Road Race. After that, when World War II began, he was convened by the Army and was sent out to the War. He was also a member of the so-called "Ginwa(Silver Ring) Unit", but died in June 1945 in former Burma. The uniforms worn at the Berlin Olympics are on display at the Bicycle Museum in Okayama City.

Many thanks to Stephan Van Uijtregt (Cycling Ranking) (and his friend for the translation from Japanese).

### Official results

#### 1931

* West Japan Cycle Team Race, 3rd place overall
	+ 1st day: Kagoshima-Kumamoto 217 km
	+ 2nd day: Kumamoto-Moji 214 km
	+ 3rd day: Shimonoseki-Hiroshima 208 km
	+ 6th day: Hiroshima-Okayama 196 km, winner
	+ Okayama-Osaka 181 km, 3rd place

#### 1933

* Won the 3rd West Japan Cycle Championship, Okayama prefectural qualifying round (73-league road race between Okayama and Tsuyama)

#### 1934

* 4th All Japan Cycle Championship (now All Japan Amateur Cycling Championship)Okayama prefectural qualifying round (5,000 m speed race at Okayama City's Okuichi Sports Ground), champion
* 4th All Japan Cycle Championship (Koshien South Sports Ground)
* Won the 10,000 m speed race

#### 1935

* Commemorative cycle race for the founding of the Japan Cycling Federation
	+ Road race (Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe-Nishinomiya), champion
* 10,000 m speed race (Koshien South Sports Ground), champion
* Won the Okayama preliminary round of the 5th All Japan Cycle Championship (10,000 m speed race at Saidaiji Sports Ground)
* 5th All Japan Cycle Championship (Koshien South Sports Ground)
* Won the 10,000 m speed race

#### 1936

* First preliminary round of the 1936 World Cycling Championships (Koshien Minami Undojo)
	+ 2nd in 10,000 m speed race
	+ Won the 50,000 m speed race
	+ Wins the 100 km road race
* 1936 World Championship Cycling Tournament All Japan 2nd Preliminary Round
* 1936 World Championship Cycling Race, 145 km road race (Bern) 7th place
* 1936 World Championships in Cycling Scratch (Zurich Oerlikon open-air cycling stadium) 1st qualifier

#### 1937

* 7th All Japan Cycling Championships (now All Japan Amateur Cycling Championships) Okayama Prefecture Qualifying Round (Okayama Shihan Sports Ground)
* Won the 10,000 m speed race
* 7th All Japan Cycling Championships (Koshien South Sports Ground)
* Won the 10,000 m speed race
* 9th Meiji Jingu Athletic Meet, Bicycle Race (Army Toyama School Sports Ground)
* General 10,000 m speed race, 2nd place

### Sources

* Wikipedia (JA) - https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%87%BA%E5%AE%AE%E9%A0%86%E4%B8%80
* Cycling Ranking - https://www.cyclingranking.com/rider/90919/junichi-demiya