Naoko Takahashi

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For the artist, see NaoKo TakaHashi (artist)

Medal record
Naoko Takahashi at the 2008 Nagoya Women's International Marathon
Women’s Athletics
Competitor for Japan
Olympic Games
Gold	2000 Sydney	Marathon

Naoko Takahashi (高橋尚子, Takahashi Naoko^?, born May 6, 1972 in Gifu, Japan) is a Japanese long-distance runner competing mainly in the marathon. Best known for her victory in the women's marathon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. At the 2001 Berlin Marathon, Takahashi became the first woman to break the 2 hour 20 minute barrier while setting a world record. That record was broken just one week later by Catherine Ndereba. In the women's marathon event (and not counting multiple records set by the same athlete), she still holds the 7th best time and the 3rd best Japanese marathon performance behind Yoko Shibui (2:19:41) and Mizuki Noguchi (2:19:10). She is related to former Morning Musume leader Yoshizawa Hitomi.

[edit] Achievements

2001 Berlin Marathon - world record
2000 Olympic Games - gold medal

Date	Event	Time	Note
Jan, 1997	Osaka International Women's Marathon	2:31:32	7th place
Mar, 1998	Nagoya International Women's Marathon	2:25:48	1st place, Japanese record at the time
Dec, 1998	Bangkok Asian Games	2:21:47	gold medal, Japanese record at the time
Mar, 2000	Nagoya International Women's Marathon	2:22:19	1st place
Sep, 2000	Sydney Olympics	2:23:14	gold medal
Feb, 2001	OHME Marathon (30km)	1:41:57	Japanese record
Sep, 2001	Berlin Marathon	2:19:46	1st place, World Record at the time
Sep, 2002	Berlin Marathon	2:21:49	1st
Nov, 2003	Tokyo Marathon	2:27:21	2nd
Nov, 2005	Tokyo Marathon	2:24:39	1st
Nov, 2006	Tokyo Marathon	2:31:22	3rd
March 2008	Nagoya Marathon	2:44:18	27th

v • d • e Olympic champions in women's marathon

1984: Joan Benoit • 1988: Rosa Mota • 1992: Valentina Yegorova • 1996: Fatuma Roba • 2000: Naoko Takahashi • 2004: Mizuki Noguchi

Records
Preceded by Tegla Loroupe	Women's Marathon World Record Holder September 30, 2001 – October 7, 2001	Succeeded by Catherine Ndereba
Sporting positions
Preceded by Madina Biktagirova	Nagoya Women's Marathon Winner 1998	Succeeded by Lyubov Morgunova
Preceded by Lyubov Morgunova	Nagoya Women's Marathon Winner 2000	Succeeded by Kazumi Matsuo
Preceded by Kazumi Matsuo	Berlin Women's Marathon Winner 2001 – 2002	Succeeded by Yasuko Hashimoto
Preceded by Bruna Genovese	Tokyo Women's Marathon Winner 2005	Succeeded by Reiko Tosa