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

Yumiko Hara won the race in 2007.

Nagai Stadium, where the marathon race finishes.

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

• Ota, Shigenobu & Larner, Brett (2009-12-27). Osaka International Women's Marathon. ARRS. Retrieved on 2010-01-31.

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Marathon info
• Statistical overview by Ken Nakamura (2011)