Fukuoka Marathon

The Fukuoka International Marathon (福岡国際マラソン, Fukuoka Kokusai Marason) is an IAAF Gold Label international men's marathon race held in Fukuoka, Japan. It was previously known as the Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship between 1947 and 2021, when it was announced the race would be discontinued on its 75th edition.^[2] However, due to popular support, a successor race, inheriting the tradition and course of the original marathon, was established the next year.^[3]

Fukuoka Marathon
The Fukuoka Marathon monument at Hakata Station with footprints of past winners
Date	Early December
Location	Fukuoka, Japan
Event type	Road
Distance	Marathon
Established	1947 (77 years ago) (1947)
Course records	2:05:18 (2009) Tsegaye Kebede
Official site	Fukuoka Marathon
Participants	80 finishers (2021)[1] 67 (2020) 370 (2019) 291 (2018)

The course record is held by Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, running 2:05:18 in 2009 to best his own record from the previous year.^[4] Toshihiko Seko (1978–80, '83) and Frank Shorter (1971–74) tie for most victories at the race with four each.^[5]

History

In its early years, the race had a rotating venue format, but these races are contained within the Fukuoka history as they all shared a common organiser and sponsor (the Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese national newspaper). The inaugural edition was launched in 1947 as the "Kanaguri Prize Asahi Marathon" (金栗賞朝日マラソン, Kanaguri-Shō Asahi Marason) and was held in Kumamoto. The 1951 was the first of the race series to be held in Fukuoka. Foreign runners were invited for the first time in 1954 and Reinaldo Gorno of Argentina subsequently became the first non-Japanese winner. The competition was renamed as the "Asahi International Marathon" (朝日国際マラソン, Asahi Kokusai Marason) the following year and Finland's Veikko Karvonen became the first European victor. In 1956 the race reverted to a national race between Japanese men, but foreign runners were reintroduced for later editions.^[6]

The 1959 edition saw Fukuoka instated was the permanent host city for the marathon race and Japanese runner Kurao Hiroshima became the first two-time winner that year. Water stations for runners were introduced along the course for the first time in 1961. The last race to be held outside of Fukuoka came in 1963, when a special pre-Olympic edition was held in Tokyo as a way of testing the marathon course for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Recognising the Fukuoka Marathon's increasingly international nature, the event was renamed in 1966 to the "International Marathon Championship" (国際マラソン選手権, Kokusai Marason Senshuken).^[6] A year later, the course saw its first world record performance as Australian Derek Clayton knocked over two minutes off the previous record to win the race in 2:09:36.4 hours.^[7] Frank Shorter had three straight wins in 1971 to 1973 and a fourth win came in 1974, the same year that the race took on its current title of the "Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship" (福岡国際マラソン選手権, Fukuoka Kokusai Marason Senshuken).^[8]

In 1980, Toshihiko Seko won in a time of 2:09:45 hours, just four seconds ahead of Takeshi So. This represented the first time that two men had completed the marathon distance under two hours and ten minutes at the same competition.^[9] The second world record of the competition's history came in 1981 and it was again an Australian runner, this time Robert de Castella, whose time of 2:08:18 hours became the new world standard.^[7]

In 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers restricted the number of participants to about 100 runners.^[10][11][a]

On March 26, 2021, the Japan Association of Athletics Federations, newspaper Asahi Shimbun, and broadcast partners Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting and TV Asahi announced that the 75th Fukuoka International Marathon would be its last edition citing difficulties in continuing the event such as increasing operating costs and the COVID-19 pandemic.^[12]

However, on March 15, 2021, the JAAF and the Fukuoka Prefectural Government announced that a successor race would be held in December of that year "maintaining [the] history and tradition" of the original championship.^[3]

The Fukuoka Marathon is the third-longest running competition of its type in Japan, being established two years after the Lake Biwa Marathon and one year after the Kochi Marathon. This makes it the tenth longest running annual marathon race in recorded history.^[13] The competition has hosted the men's marathon championship race numerous times: it first held the event in 1955 and then hosted the race on a biennial basis from 1963 to 1997. It later hosted the national championship race once every three years, on a rotational basis alongside the Lake Biwa and Tokyo Marathons.^[14]

Qualification

Male runners who achieved the following times in an official event of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) or a race for members of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) in a certain period, and who were aged 19 years or older on the day of the race could apply for the race.^[15]

Group A:

1. Marathon: under 2 hours 27 minutes
2. 30 km road race: under 1 hour 35 minutes
3. Half-marathon: under 1 hour 05 minutes

Group B:

1. Marathon: under 2 hours 35 minutes
2. 30 km road race: under 1 hour 45 minutes
3. Half-marathon: under 1 hour 10 minutes

Winners

Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede is the current course record holder.

Samuel Wanjiru won in 2007 and went on to take the 2008 Olympic marathon title.

Gezahegne Abera is a three-time race winner

Robert de Castella (right) of Australia set a world record at the 1981 edition.

Frank Shorter had a record four straight wins in Fukuoka from 1971 to 1974.

Key:

   Course record

   Japanese championship race

Ed.	Date	Winner	Country	Time[b]	Notes	Rf.
77	2023.12.03	Michael Githae	Kenya	2:07:08		[16][17]
76	2022.12.04	Maru Teferi	Israel	2:06:43		[18]
75	2021.12.05	Michael Githae	Kenya	2:07:51		[1][19]
74	2020.12.06	Yūya Yoshida	Japan	2:07:05
73	2019.12.01	Taku Fujimoto[c]	Japan	2:09:36		[20][22]
72	2018.12.02	Yuma Hattori	Japan	2:07:27
71	2017.12.03	Sondre Nordstad Moen	Norway	2:05:48
70	2016.12.04	Yemane Tsegay	Ethiopia	2:08:48
69	2015.12.06	Patrick Makau	Kenya	2:08:18
68	2014.12.07	Patrick Makau	Kenya	2:08:22
67	2013.12.01	Martin Mathathi	Kenya	2:07:16
66	2012.12.02	Joseph Gitau	Kenya	2:06:58
65	2011.12.04	Josephat Ndambiri	Kenya	2:07:36		[23]
64	2010.12.05	Jaouad Gharib	Morocco	2:08:24
63	2009.12.06	Tsegaye Kebede	Ethiopia	2:05:18
62	2008.12.07	Tsegaye Kebede	Ethiopia	2:06:10
61	2007.12.02	Samuel Wanjiru	Kenya	2:06:39
60	2006.12.03	Haile Gebrselassie	Ethiopia	2:06:52
59	2005.12.04	Dmytro Baranovskyy	Ukraine	2:08:29
58	2004.12.05	Tsuyoshi Ogata	Japan	2:09:10
57	2003.12.07	Tomoaki Kunichika	Japan	2:07:52
56	2002.12.01	Gezahegne Abera	Ethiopia	2:09:13
55	2001.12.02	Gezahegne Abera	Ethiopia	2:09:25
54	2000.12.03	Atsushi Fujita	Japan	2:06:51 NR
53	1999.12.05	Gezahegne Abera	Ethiopia	2:07:54
52	1998.12.06	Jackson Kabiga	Kenya	2:08:42
51	1997.12.07	Josia Thugwane	South Africa	2:07:28
50	1996.12.01	Lee Bong-ju	South Korea	2:10:48
49	1995.12.03	Luíz Antônio	Brazil	2:09:30
48	1994.12.04	Boay Akonay	Tanzania	2:09:45
47	1993.12.05	Dionicio Cerón	Mexico	2:08:51
46	1992.12.06	Tena Negere	Ethiopia	2:09:04
45	1991.12.01	Shuichi Morita	Japan	2:10:58	Current course layout introduced
44	1990.12.02	Belayneh Dinsamo	Ethiopia	2:11:35
43	1989.12.03	Manuel Matias	Portugal	2:12:54
42	1988.12.04	Toshihiro Shibutani	Japan	2:11:04
41	1987.12.06	Takeyuki Nakayama	Japan	2:08:18
40	1986.12.07	Juma Ikangaa	Tanzania	2:10:06
39	1985.12.01	Hisatoshi Shintaku	Japan	2:09:51	Course layout changed
38	1984.12.02	Takeyuki Nakayama	Japan	2:10:00
37	1983.12.04	Toshihiko Seko	Japan	2:08:52
36	1982.12.05	Paul Ballinger	New Zealand	2:10:15
35	1981.12.06	Robert de Castella	Australia	2:08:18 WR
34	1980.12.07	Toshihiko Seko	Japan	2:09:45
33	1979.12.02	Toshihiko Seko	Japan	2:10:35
32	1978.12.03	Toshihiko Seko	Japan	2:10:21
31	1977.12.04	Bill Rodgers	United States	2:10:56
30	1976.12.05	Jerome Drayton	Canada	2:12:35
29	1975.12.07	Jerome Drayton	Canada	2:10:09
28	1974.12.08	Frank Shorter	United States	2:11:32
27	1973.12.02	Frank Shorter	United States	2:11:45
26	1972.12.03	Frank Shorter	United States	2:10:30
25	1971.12.05	Frank Shorter	United States	2:12:51
24	1970.12.06	Akio Usami	Japan	2:10:38
23	1969.12.07	Jerome Drayton	Canada	2:11:13
22	1968.12.08	Bill Adcocks	United Kingdom	2:10:48
21	1967.12.03	Derek Clayton	Australia	2:09:37 WR
20	1966.11.27	Mike Ryan	New Zealand	2:14:05
19	1965.10.10	Hidekuni Hiroshima	Japan	2:18:36
18	1964.12.06	Toru Terasawa	Japan	2:14:49
17	1963.10.15	Jeff Julian	New Zealand	2:18:01	Held in Tokyo
16	1962.12.02	Toru Terasawa	Japan	2:16:19
15	1961.12.03	Pavel Kantorek	Czechoslovakia	2:22:05
14	1960.12.04	Barry Magee	New Zealand	2:19:04
13	1959.11.08	Kurao Hiroshima	Japan	2:29:34	Fukuoka becomes permanent host
12	1958.12.07	Nobuyoshi Sadanaga	Japan	2:24:01	Held in Utsunomiya
11	1957.12.01	Kurao Hiroshima	Japan	2:21:40	Held in Fukuoka City
10	1956.12.09	Keizo Yamada	Japan	2:25:15	Held in Nagoya	[8]
9	1955.12.11	Veikko Karvonen	Finland	2:23:16	Held in Fukuoka/Koga	[8][24]
8	1954.12.05	Reinaldo Gorno	Argentina	2:24:55	Held in Kamakura/Yokohama	[8][25]
7	1953.12.06	Hideo Hamamura	Japan	2:27:26	Held in Nagoya	[8]
6	1952.12.07	Katsuo Nishida	Japan	2:27:59	Held in Ube	[8]
5	1951.12.09	Hiromi Haigo	Japan	2:30:13	Held in Fukuoka/Maebaru	[8][26]
4	1950.12.10	Shunji Koyanagi	Japan	2:30:47	Held in Hiroshima	[8]
3	1949.12.04	Shinzo Koga	Japan	2:40:26	Held in Shizuoka	[8]
2	1948.12.05	Saburo Yamada	Japan	2:37:25	Held in Takamatsu	[8]
1	1947.12.07	Toshikazu Wada	Japan	2:45:45	Held in Kumamoto	[8]

Notes

1. The size of the field is normally around 400 runners.^[11]
2. h:m:s
3. El Mahjoub Dazza crossed the finish line first, but was disqualified for using a prohibited substance.^[20][21]

References

1. "Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship | Past Results". www.fukuoka-marathon.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
2. Johnson, Len (6 December 2021). "Farewell to Fukuoka".
3. "Successor to Fukuoka International Marathon set for December". The Japan Times. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
4. Nakamura, Ken (2009-12-06). 2:05:18 course record and personal best for Kebede in Fukuoka. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-12-06.
5. "Githae wins final edition of Fukuoka Marathon | REPORT | World Athletics". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
6. Nakamura, Ken (2010). Marathon - A history of the Fukuoka International Marathon Championships by K. Ken Nakamura - Part 1 1947-1966. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
7. Butler, Mark (2011). 13th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook Archived 2012-08-18 at the Wayback Machine (pgs. 595, 612, 614–615, 705, 707). Daegu 2011. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
8. Heyworth, Malcolm et al (2010-12-05). Fukuoka Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
9. World Marathon Rankings for 1980. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
10. "Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship | Information". www.fukuoka-marathon.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
11. "Fukuoka International Marathon set to be held with limited field". 13 September 2020.
12. "福岡国際マラソン、今年で終了へ 継続開催は困難と判断：朝日新聞デジタル" [Fukuoka International Marathon to end this year, judging it will be difficult to continue]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 4 September 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
13. Longest Running Marathons. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
14. Ota, Shigenobu et al (2010-03-27). National Marathon Champions for Japan. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
15. "Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship | Entry List [Invited Athletes (Local)]".
16. "Fukuoka International Marathon | Results | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
17. "Athletics: Kenya's Machael Githae wins Fukuoka International Marathon; Kyohei Hosoya 4th". Mainichi Daily News. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
18. "Fukuoka International Marathon 2022 Results | Watch Athletics". www.watchathletics.com. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
19. Michel Githae worldathletics.org
20. Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship
21. "El Mahjoub Dazza, 2019 Fukuoka International Marathon winner, gets 4-year doping ban | the Japan Times". www.japantimes.co.jp. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
22. "Taku FUJIMOTO | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
23. Nakamura, Ken (2011-11-04). Running in his debut, Ndambiri triumphs in Fukuoka. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
24. "福岡国際マラソン プレーバック｜第9回（1955）".
25. "福岡国際マラソン プレーバック｜第8回（1954）".
26. "福岡国際マラソン プレーバック｜第5回（1951）".

List of winners

• Heyworth, Malcolm et al. (2010-12-05). Fukuoka Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.

External links

• Fukuoka-Marathon.com - Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship (official site, English language portal)
• 'A history of the Fukuoka International Marathon Championships' by K. Ken Nakamura (IAAF)
• Asahi.com - Fukuoka Marathon sponsor page
• MarathonInfo profile
• Inside the Outside - When the World Came to Fukuoka - Trailer 75 prominent marathoners from around the world reminisce about their Fukuoka Marathon experiences