Osaka International Ladies Marathon

Osaka International Ladies Marathon

The city course loops past Osaka Castle twice
Date Late January
Location Osaka, Japan
Event type Road
Distance Marathon
Established 1982
Official site Osaka Marathon
For the race launched in 2011, see Osaka Marathon.

The Osaka International Ladies Marathon (大阪国際女子マラソン Ōsaka Kokusai Joshi Marason?) is an annual marathon road race for women over the classic distance of 42.195 kilometres which is held in late January in the city of Osaka, Japan.

The event is hosted by Japan Association of Athletics Federations (日本陸上競技連盟?), Kansai Telecasting Corporation (関西テレビ放送株式会社?), the Sankei Shimbun Co., Ltd. (株式会社産業経済新聞社?, the Sankei Shimbun), Sankei Sports (サンケイスポーツ?), Osaka Broadcasting Corporation (大阪放送株式会社?, Radio Osaka) and Osaka City (大阪市?).

The first edition took place on January 24, 1982, and was won by Italy's Rita Marchisio. The 1995 marathon was cancelled due to the Great Hanshin Earthquake. The race takes place in the city itself and passes prominent landmarks such as Osaka Castle. The course was altered in 2011 to allow for faster times by cutting out a number of hilly sections which were previously present on the section of the course near the Osaka Castle.[1] The finish line of the race is at Nagai Stadium, which was the host venue for the 2007 World Championships in Athletics.[2]

The Japanese rock group The Alfee has written a large number of the theme songs for the marathon.

Winners

Key:       Course record

Edition Date Winner Country Time (h:m:s)
30th January 30, 2011 Yukiko Akaba  Japan 2:26:29
29th January 31, 2010 Amane Gobena  Ethiopia 2:25:14
28th January 25, 2009 Yoko Shibui Japan 2:23:42
27th January 27, 2008 Mara Yamauchi United Kingdom 2:25:10
26th January 28, 2007 Yumiko Hara Japan 2:23:48
25th January 29, 2006 Catherine Ndereba Kenya 2:25:05
24th January 30, 2005 Jeļena Prokopčuka Latvia 2:22:56
23rd January 25, 2004 Naoko Sakamoto Japan 2:25:29
22nd January 26, 2003 Mizuki Noguchi Japan 2:21:18
21st January 27, 2002 Lornah Kiplagat Netherlands 2:23:55
20th January 28, 2001 Yoko Shibui Japan 2:23:11
19th January 30, 2000 Lidia Simon Romania 2:22:54
18th January 31, 1999 Lidia Simon Romania 2:23:24
17th January 25, 1998 Lidia Simon Romania 2:28:31
16th January 26, 1997 Katrin Dörre-Heinig Germany 2:25:57
15th January 26, 1996 Katrin Dörre-Heinig Germany 2:26:04
14th January 29, 1995 Cancelled
(Great Hanshin Earthquake)		 — —
13th January 30, 1994 Tomoe Abe Japan 2:26:09
12th January 31, 1993 Junko Asari Japan 2:26:26
11th January 26, 1992 Yumi Kokamo Japan 2:26:26
10th January 27, 1991 Katrin Dörre Germany 2:27:43
9th January 28, 1990 Rosa Mota Portugal 2:27:47
8th January 29, 1989 Lorraine Moller New Zealand 2:30:21
7th January 31, 1988 Lisa Ondieki Australia 2:23:51
6th January 25, 1987 Lorraine Moller New Zealand 2:30:40
5th January 26, 1986 Lorraine Moller New Zealand 2:30:24
4th January 27, 1985 Carey May Ireland 2:28:07
3rd January 29, 1984 Katrin Dörre East Germany 2:31:41
2nd January 30, 1983 Carey May Ireland 2:29:23
1st January 24, 1982 Rita Marchisio Italy 2:32:55

References

  1. ^ Nakamura, Ken (2011-01-28). Osaka Women’s Marathon - PREVIEW. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
  2. ^ Nakamura, Ken (2011-01-30). Akaba out-duels Ito in windy Osaka. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
List of winners

External links

Marathon races in Japan
See also: Ekiden