Suguru Osako

Suguru Osako (大迫傑, Ōsako Suguru, born 23 May 1991) is a Japanese long-distance runner. He won the 10,000 metres gold medal at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen and holds the Asian junior record for the half marathon. He held the Japanese National Record for the marathon of 2:05:29 set at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon, where he finished fourth.

Suguru Osako
Osako at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Born (1991-05-23) 23 May 1991
Machida, Japan
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Weight52 kg (115 lb)
Sport
Country Japan
SportTrack and field
Event(s)10,000 metres, Marathon
Medal record
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place2011 Shenzhen10,000 metres
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place2014 Incheon10,000 metres

Born in Machida, Tokyo, he attended Saku Chosei High School and began to establish himself nationally in 2010. He was the fastest in his stage at the Japanese High School Ekiden Championship and came second in the junior race at the Chiba Cross Country.[2] This gained him a place on the Japanese junior team for the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he went on to finish in 32nd place. On the track that year he set a personal best of 28:35.75 minutes in Tokyo then finished eighth at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics.[3] After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Waseda University in late 2010. In November he ran at the Ageo City Half Marathon and set a Japanese and Asian junior record time of 1:01:47 hours to win the race.[4]

In 2011 he ran a 5000 metres track best of 13:31.27 minutes and came second over 10,000 metres at the Hyogo Relays.[3] Osako was chosen to represent his country at the 2011 Summer Universiade, where he defeated Stephen Mokoka in the 10,000 m to take the gold medal, becoming the first Japanese since Yasuyuki Watanabe to win that title.[5] At the start of the 2012 season he was the top Japanese finisher at the Chiba Cross Country (fourth overall) and had a narrow win at the Fukuoka Cross Country, beating Yuki Sato.[6][7] Osako improved his track bests in 2012, running 3:42.68 minutes for the 1500 metres, 7:54.68 minutes for the 3000 metres and 27:56.94 minutes for the 10,000 m.[3]

He was runner-up to Charles Ndirangu at the 2013 Fukuoka Cross Country.[8]

He finished third in the 2018 Chicago Marathon with the national record at the time of 2:05:50 h, earning him 100 Million Yen.

He finished fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Marathon where he broke his own national record with a time of 2:05:29.

He is formerly a member of the Nike Oregon Project.

2021 Home Olympics and planned retirement

Osako's first race of the year came on 28 May at the Portland Track festival, where he competed in back-to-back 10000m races, winning the first in 27:56.44 and placing 2nd in the next race in 29:04.28.[9]

Before competing in the Olympic marathon Osako announced he would retire after the race.[10]

At the 2020 Olympic Games men's marathon Suguru Osako placed 6th in 2:10:41, the race was won by Eliud Kipchoge.[9]

Achievements
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Japan
2010 World Junior Championships Moncton, Canada 8th 10,000 m 29:40.14
2011 Summer Universiade Shenzhen, China 1st 10,000 m 28:42.83
2012 Fukuoka International Cross Country Fukuoka, Japan 1st 10 km 30:27
2013 World Championships Moscow, Russia 21st 10,000 m 28:19.50
2014 Asian Games Incheon, South Korea 2nd 10,000 m 28:11.94
2015 World Championships Beijing, China 22nd (h) 5000 m 13:45.82
2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 28th (h) 5000 m 13:31.45
17th 10,000 m 27:51.94
2021 Olympic Games Sapporo, Japan 6th Marathon 2:10:41

References
  1. "Rio 2016 bio". Archived from the original on 2016-11-25. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  2. Nakamura, Ken (2012-02-14). Karoki, Mathathi, and Katsumata prevail at Chiba Cross Country. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-03-05.
  3. Osako Suguru. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-03-05.
  4. Larner, Brett (2011-11-21). Freshman Suguru Osako 1:01:47 Jr. National Record at 2010 Ageo City Half Marathon. Japan Running News. Retrieved on 2012-03-05.
  5. Coover, Paul (2011-08-22). World University Games Results. Running Times. Retrieved on 2012-03-05.
  6. Nakamura, Ken (2012-02-12). Kenyan high schoolers dominate at Chiba Cross Country. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-03-05.
  7. Nakamura, Ken (2012-02-25). Sato beaten by Osako in Fukuoka. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-03-05.
  8. Nakamura, Ken (2013-02-23). Ndirangu and Thuku continue winning streak in Fukuoka. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-03-02.
  9. "Athlete Name Suguru Osako." World Athletics, www.worldathletics.org/athletes/ japan/suguru-osako-14335060. Accessed 11 Aug. 2021.
  10. "Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge retains men's Olympic marathon title." the japan times, 8 Aug. 2021, www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/08/08/olympics/ summer-olympics/olympic-athletics/eliud-kipchoge-marathon-olympics/. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.
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