 Shizo Kanakuri returning from the 1924 Olympics | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 金栗 四三 |
| Born | (1891-08-20)20 August 1891 Nagomi, Kumamoto, Japan[1] |
| Died | 13 November 1983(1983-11-13) (aged 92) Tamana, Kumamoto, Japan |
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 64 kg (141 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Marathon |
| Retired | 1924 |
Shizo Kanakuri (金栗 四三,Kanaguri Shisō[nb 1]; 20 August 1891 – 13 November 1983) was a Japanesemarathon runner celebrated as the "father of marathon" in Japan.[2] He holds theGuinness World Record for the longest time to complete a marathon with a time of 54 years 8 months 6 days 5 hours 32 minutes 20.3 seconds—Kanakuri retired from themen's marathon event at the1912 Stockholm Olympics without informing the authorities, butSveriges Television gave him the opportunity to complete his marathon in 1967.
Kanakuri grew up in a rural town calledNagomi on the island ofKyūshū to a family that soldsake. Every day, he ran nearly four miles to school.[3]
In November 1911, at the age of 20, Kanakuri raced in the domestic trials for the1912 Stockholm Olympics where he reportedly set amarathon world record at 2 hours, 30 minutes and 33 seconds, although the course was just 40 km (25 mi).[4][nb 2][6] He was selected as one ofthe two Japanese athletes to attend the event. Both athletes had to pay their own travel expenses of 1,800 yen, and Kanakuri's classmates conducted a nationwide fundraiser which collected 1,500 yen.[7] Shizo's oldest brother, Sanetsugu Kanakuri, collected 300 yen. To prepare, he trained withKano Jigoro, the founder of judo.[3]
Kanakuri is best known for disappearing during themarathon race in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.
Kanakuri was the first Japanese athlete to qualify for an Olympics.[3] He embarked on a difficult 18-day-long trip to Stockholm, first by ship and then by train all through theTrans-Siberian Railway.[8] When he finally arrived in Stockholm, Kanakuri was weak from the long journey. To make matters worse, he struggled to sleep during thewhite nights, and he had problems with the local food. The Japanese team coach,Hyozo Omori, was mostly bedridden due totuberculosis and failed to give Kanakuri sufficient pre-race training.
The race was held nearStockholm amidst a heat wave. Throughout the race, dozens of competitors dropped out, including runnerFrancisco Lázaro, whose mid-race collapse and subsequent death made him the first Olympic fatality.[3][9] The reigning Olympic gold medalistJohnny Hayes called the event a "disgrace to civilization."[10] Kanakuri, too, experienced debilitatinghyperthermia. About sixteen miles into the race, an exhausted Kanakuri left the course and desperately stumbled into a nearby garden party, where he drank orange juice[11] for an hour.[12][13] Embarrassed by his failure, he silently returned to Japan without notifying race officials.
Since Kanakuri did not finish, race officials gave the consolation prize, a large wooden spoon, to a Russian.[14] Kanakuri's disappearance spurred humorous stories in Sweden about the supposedly lost Japanese runner. Sweden added Shizo Kanakuri to its missing persons list, and his name remained there for fifty years.
Despite this, Kanakuri was selected to participate in the1916 Summer Olympics, which were subsequently cancelled due toWorld War I. Kanakuri did compete in the1920 Summer Olympics held inAntwerp, where he finished in 16th with a time of 2 hours, 48 minutes and 45.4 seconds. Kanakuri subsequently participated in the1924 Summer Olympics, where he failed to finishthe race.
A Swedish reporter discovered him working as a geography teacher in southern Japan[12] and in 1967,Sveriges Television offered Kanakuri the chance to complete his marathon.[15] He accepted. Immediately upon arriving in Sweden, he "jumped off the plane" and "jogged around the tarmac" to warm up his legs, and "showed great vigor" according to theAssociated Press.[14] On March 20, 1967, he finished the marathon. His official time was 54 years 8 months 6 days 5 hours 32 minutes 20.3 seconds. He commented, "It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and ten grandchildren."[16]
While he was in Sweden, Kanakuri returned to the garden villa, where he had gulped orange juice. He met Bengt Petre, the son of his original hosts. While they drank more orange juice, Bengt Petre explained that one of the Petre family's treasured heirlooms was the scroll with Japanese writing that Kanakuri had given the family to thank them for their hospitality. Upon inspecting the scroll, Kanakuri sadly told the family, "It is just an old customs form."[15]
Kanakuri is also known for his role in establishing theHakone Ekiden relay marathon in 1920.[16] Since 2004, the top prize in the race has been named in his honor.
He died at the age of 92 on 13 November 1983, at his hometown ofTamana inKumamoto Prefecture, Japan.[17]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| People | |
