Jump to content

Naoko Takahashi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the artist and musician, see NaoKo TakaHashi.
Naoko Takahashi

Naoko Takahashi at the 2008 Nagoya Women's International Marathon
Medal record
Women's Athletics
Representing  Japan
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Marathon
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1998 Bangkok Marathon

Naoko Takahashi (高橋 尚子, Takahashi Naoko, born May 6, 1972) is a retired Japanese long-distance runner and Olympic gold medal-winning marathoner. She won the gold medal in the marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and at the 2001 Berlin Marathon she became the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Biography

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

Takahashi was born in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture on May 6, 1972, the eldest daughter of educator Yoshiaki Takahashi and his wife Shigeko.[1] Her father was a kindergarten principal.[2] She is a second cousin-niece of chemist and Nobel Prize laureate Hideki Shirakawa.[1]

Competitive career

[edit]

Takahashi started running track in junior high school, and placed second in the 1500 meter and third in the 3000 meter races at the Japanese national collegiate championships while attending Osaka Gakuin University. Following graduation, she sought out the prominent distance running coach Yoshio Koide (coach) [ja] and began training under him.[3] She supplemented her training regimen in Japan with altitude training in Colorado.[4][5]

Takahashi competed in the finals of the 1997 World Championships 5000 meter race in Athens, where she finished in 13th place.[6]

In March 1998,[7] running in her second marathon, Takahashi set a Japanese women's record of 2:25:48 at the Nagoya Women's Marathon.[3] Two months later, she won the 5000 meter race in the Osaka Japan Grand Prix with a time of 15:21.[6]

Later in December of that same year, Takahashi set a new Japanese women's marathon record when she won the Asian Games marathon in Bangkok with a time of 2:21:47 under very warm conditions.[3] She finished more than 13 minutes ahead of the second place finisher.[8]

In March 2000, Takahashi earned a spot on Japan's Olympic women's marathon team after winning the Nagoya Women's Marathon in a time of 2:22:19.[3] She went on to win the women's marathon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, with an Olympic record time of 2:23:14. It remained the fastest women's Olympic marathon until 2012 in London. Following her gold medal victory, Takahashi received the 2000 AIMS Best Marathon Runner Award as well as Japan's People's Honour Award.

At the 2001 Berlin Marathon, Takahashi became the first woman to break the 2 hour 20 minute barrier, finishing in a world record time of 2:19:46 and more than eight minutes ahead of the second place finisher, the previous world record holder Tegla Loroupe.[9][10] The following year, Takahashi won the 2002 Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:21:49.[11]

During her running career, Takahashi suffered from a series of injuries. She announced her retirement in October 2008.[12]

Post-competitive career

[edit]

The Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon was launched in 2011 with the honorary title being the Naoko Takahashi Cup. Takahashi serves as the chairwoman for the race.[13]

Since her retirement from competitive running, Takahashi has also worked as a sportscaster,[14] marathon commentator,[15] served as a Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) executive,[citation needed] and served as an executive member of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF).[15]

Takahashi is related to former Morning Musume leader Hitomi Yoshizawa.

Achievements

[edit]
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Japan
January 1997 Osaka Women's Marathon Osaka, Japan 7th Marathon 2:31:32
March 1997 Matsue Half Marathon Matsue, Japan 1st Half Marathon 1:10:35
March 1998 Nagoya Marathon Nagoya, Japan 1st Marathon 2:25:48
December 1998 Asian Games marathon Bangkok, Thailand 1st Marathon 2:21:47
May 1999 Kurobe Half Marathon, Kurobe Kurobe, Japan 1st Half Marathon 1:10:58
January 2000 Chiba Half Marathon Chiba, Japan 1st Half Marathon 1:08:55
March 2000 Nagoya Marathon Nagoya, Japan 1st Marathon 2:22:19
July 2000 Sapporo Half Marathon Sapporo, Japan 1st Half Marathon 1:09:10
September 2000 Sydney Olympics Marathon Sydney, Australia 1st Marathon 2:23:14
February 2001 Tokyo Ohme-Hochi 30 km Tokyo, Japan 1st 30,000 m 1:41:57
September 2001 Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany 1st Marathon 2:19:46 WR
September 2002 Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany 1st Marathon 2:21:49
November 2003 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan 2nd Marathon 2:27:21
November 2005 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan 1st Marathon 2:24:39
November 2006 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan 3rd Marathon 2:32:22
March 2008 Nagoya Marathon Nagoya, Japan 27th Marathon 2:44:18
March 2009 Nagoya Marathon Nagoya, Japan 29th Marathon 2:52:23

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "コメントで振り返る高橋尚子のあゆみ - スポーツニュース". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  2. ^ "「人物ルポ 高橋尚子の父として 地域の教育者として」など｜株式会社ジェイ・キャスト". J-Cast. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  3. ^ a b c d Nakamura, K. Ken (2000-09-11). "Naoko Takahashi: Olympic marathon favourite". worldathletics.org. World Athletics.
  4. ^ Sandrock, Mike (2016-07-31). "Boulder plays big role in Japanese runners' success".
  5. ^ Havens, Thomas R. H. (2015). Marathon Japan: Distance Racing and Civic Culture. University of Hawaii Press. p. 103. ISBN 9780824854133.
  6. ^ a b "World Athletics: Naoko Takahashi". World Athletics. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
  7. ^ "Nagoya International Women's Marathon". Retrieved 2021-08-14.
  8. ^ "13th Asian Games". sportfieber.pytalhost.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  9. ^ Longman, Jere (October 1, 2001), "Marathon: Takahashi Sets Women's Mark For Marathon", The New York Times
  10. ^ "2001 Berlin Marathon Results". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  11. ^ "2002 Berlin Marathon Results". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  12. ^ "Sydney marathon champion Takahashi to retire". Agence France-Presse. 2008-10-28. Archived from the original on 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  13. ^ Race Outline Archived 2013-04-29 at the Wayback Machine. Gifu Marathon. Retrieved on 2013-05-20.
  14. ^ "Japan Holds "Arigato in London" at London County Hall". www.dnaindia.com. 2012-07-05.
  15. ^ a b "Japan's Marathon Women Can Still Aim for the Win – translated by Brett Larner – Japan Running News". germanroadraces.de. 2014-08-13.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naoko Takahashi.


Records
Preceded by Women's Marathon World Record Holder
30 September 2001 – 7 October 2001 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Naoko_Takahashi&oldid=1254961451"