Yuka Suzuki
Yuka Suzuki (鈴木 優花, Suzuki Yuka, born 14 September 1999 in Daisen, Akita) is a Japanese long-distance runner. In 2019, she won the gold medals in the women's half marathon at the Summer Universiade held in Naples, Italy.[2] The youngest participant[3] dominated the Marathon Grand Championship in October 2023,[4][5][6] guaranteeing her selection for Olympic Games in Paris,[7] in a personal best time of 2:24:09. She is good at running uphills.[8][9]
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
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Native name | 鈴木優花 | |||||||||||||||||
Born | Nakasen, Akita (Daisen, Akita) | 14 September 1999|||||||||||||||||
Education | Nakasen JHS Omagari HS | |||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Daito Bunka University | |||||||||||||||||
Employer | Dai-ichi Life | |||||||||||||||||
Height | 165 cm (5 ft 5 in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||
Country | Japan | |||||||||||||||||
Sport | Long-distance running | |||||||||||||||||
Event(s) | 1500 metres – Marathon | |||||||||||||||||
Coached by | Sachiko Yamashita | |||||||||||||||||
Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||
Personal best(s) | ||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Biography
Suzuki was born in Nakasen, Akita Prefecture on September 14, 1999, the eldest daughter of educator Shigeki Suzuki and his wife Yasuko.[10] At the age of three she completed 3-kilometer run without stopping.[10] The teenager girl also played basketball[10] as her home prefecture Akita is famous for its Hoosier Hysteria-like state of excitement.[11] After graduating from Omagari High School, she entered Daito Bunka University and gradually became a standout.[12]Suzuki was the Japanese marathon college record holder, with a time of 2:25:02 achieved on 13 March 2022 at the Nagoya Women's Marathon, and it was her very first 42.195 km distance cruise.[13][14]
Achievements
Key: Personal best
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing Japan | |||||
2018 | Inter-University Athletics | Hiratsuka, Japan | 1st | 5000m | 15:46.84 (NGR)[15] |
2019 | Matsue Ladies Half Marathon | Matsue, Japan | 1st | Half marathon | 1:11:27 |
Universiade | Naples, Italy | 1st | Half marathon | 1:14:10 | |
Zevenheuvelenloop | Nijmegen, Netherlands | 4th | 15 km | 48.48 | |
2021 | Inter-University Athletics | Kumagaya, Japan | 1st | 10000 m | 32:04.58 (NGR) |
2022 | Nagoya Women's Marathon | Nagoya, Japan | 5th | Marathon | 2:25:02 (Japanese Collegiate Record)[16] |
2023 | Nagoya Women's Marathon | Nagoya, Japan | 6th | Marathon | 2:25:46 |
Marathon Grand Championship | Tokyo, Japan | 1st | Marathon | 2:24:09 | |
2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | Marathon |
References
- "鈴木優花、超新星「怖いもの知らず」24歳MGC優勝で初五輪「自分らしく、冷静かつ大胆な走りできた」". スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- "Athletics Results Book" (PDF). 2019 Summer Universiade. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- "大舞台で冷静さ光った最年少【解説】鈴木優花 マラソン MGC|NHKスポーツ". NHKスポーツ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- 日刊スポーツ. "【MGC女子】鈴木優花が優勝!2位一山麻緒とパリ五輪内定 細田あい7秒及ばず3位/詳細 - 陸上 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- Shimbun, The Yomiuri (2023-10-15). "Koyama, Suzuki Win Qualifying Races in Marathon for Paris Olympics". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
- "Naoki Koyama, Yuka Suzuki Win Japanese Olympic Marathon Trials". CITIUS MAG. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- "鈴木パリ五輪へ" (PDF). Akita Sakigake Shimpo. 2023-10-15. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- "増田明美さん、鈴木優花は七種競技経験の母のDNA継承 上り坂強く柔らかいストライドしなやかな走り". スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
- かみたに接骨院 (2023-10-18). "鈴木優花 選手 圧巻の上り坂のフォーム". X (formerly Twitter) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-20.
- "家族や恩師、雄姿見届け「驚き、感動」 女子マラソン・パリ五輪決定の鈴木選手|秋田魁新報電子版". 秋田魁新報電子版 (in Japanese). 2023-10-17. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- News 2for1, Basketball (2022-05-17). "秋田との"熱狂的バスケ県対決"を制した琉球ゴールデンキングス 「鬼門」SF突破へ島根と対峙". バスケットボールニュース2for1 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- "陸上・駅伝 - 大東文化大1年の鈴木優花V 日本学生女子ハーフ | 4years. #学生スポーツ". 4years (in Japanese). 2019-03-20. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- "RESULT" (PDF). iuau. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- "鈴木優花 2時間25分02秒の学生新 初マラソンながら従来の記録を1分44秒更新/名古屋ウィメンズマラソン". 月陸Online|月刊陸上競技 (in Japanese). 2022-03-13. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
- 2018学生個人選手権陸上 女子5000m タイムレース1, retrieved 2023-10-19
- 和郎, 丸山 (2022-03-13). "大東大の鈴木が日本学生新 女子マラソン界に新星". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-18.