- Koji Murofushi
Nihongo|Koji Alexander Murofushi|室伏 アレクサンダー 広治|Murofushi Arekusandā Kōji|extra=born
October 8 ,1974 in Numazu is aJapan esehammer throw er. He has been among the world elite since the 2001 World Championships, where he won the silver medal, and also he won the gold medal in Athens Olympics.Career
Before the 2001 World Championships he had made his mark in Asian athletics. He won the silver medal at the 1994 Asian Games and the gold medal at the 1998 Asian Games. [ [http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/asg.htm Asian Games] - GBR Athletics] At the Asian Championships he won silver medals in 1993, 1995 and 1998. [ [http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/asc.htm Asian Championships] - GBR Athletics] In global events, he finished eighth at the 1992 World Junior Championships, tenth at the 1997 World Championships and ninth at the 2000 Olympic Games.
After the 2001 World Championships he proceeded by winning the 2002 Asian Championships and Asian Games as well as a silver medal at the 2002 World Cup and a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships. That year he threw 84.86 metres, which was the longest hammer throw in over ten years, putting Murofushi fifth on the all-time performer's list. Among the favorites at the 2004 Summer Olympics, he eventually won the gold medal after the disqualification of
Adrian Annus .In July 2006 he won the World Athletics Final and the World Cup. He finished sixth at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics, third at the 2007 World Athletics Final and fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games.
Personal life
Koji Murofushi comes from a hammer throwing family, as his father
Shigenobu Murofushi is a former Olympian and held the Japanese record for decades until his son, and his sister,Yuka Murofushi , throws both hammer and discus. Murofushi's mother,Serafina Moritz , was a javelin thrower representingRomania .Fact|date=August 2008References
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