Mizuki Noguchi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
professional long-distance runner who specialises in the marathon
event. She is an Olympic champion over the distance and set two world records in 2005.
Initially starting out as a track
and cross country
athlete, her first major success was becoming the Asian cross country champion
at age 21. She soon switched to road running
, however, focusing on the half marathon
. She won the individual and team silver medals at the 1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
, and won a second team silver with a fourth place finish at the same competition in 2000
.
A switch to the marathon event demonstrated her talents further: she won the Nagoya
and Osaka Women's Marathons, and took the silver medal in the marathon at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
. Her good form continued and she became the Olympic champion in the marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She won the Berlin Marathon
the following year, setting world records at 25 km and 30 km along the way, and finishing with a personal best of 2:19:12 – a new Asian record for the distance. The 25K world record was beaten by Mary Keitany of Kenya in 2010, who ran the distance in 1:19:53 hours.
Prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing, Noguchi had set the second fastest time in the world for the previous year. However, she was ruled out of all competitions after tests revealed that she had fatigue and a muscular back problem. She missed the Olympics and the whole of the 2009 and 2010 seasons as a result. She returned in November 2011 with a fifth place finish at the Zevenheuvelenloop
.
city in Mie
. She started competing in track and field during her first year of middle school. While attending Ujiyamada Commercial High School, she entered the national high school track meet and competed in the 3000 m and the long-distance relay.
In 1997 she was hired by Wacoal
, a maker of women's clothing, as part of their "Spark Angels" program of sponsored women athletes. However, in October of the following year the director, Nobuyuki Fujita (藤田信之), left over differences with the company. He took with him a coach and a few athletes, including Noguchi. While she was receiving unemployment benefits for a short time, she remained active athletically. In February 1999, Fujita and all his followers were hired by Globaly, a commodity futures firm.
Noguchi began 1999 by winning individual and team gold at the Asian Cross Country Championships
, but after winning the Inuyama half marathon
, she was inspired to concentrate her efforts on that event. She was ranked second in the world that year, and in 2001 she won in the all-Japan corporate league. With a string of victories, she became known as "Queen of the Half Marathon". Continuing through the Miyazaki
Women's Road Race competition in January 2004, she competed in 24 half marathons, and won 14 of them. Only twice was she beaten by another Japanese athlete.
In March 2002 she entered her first full marathon, the Nagoya International Women's Marathon, and won. In January 2003 she won the Osaka
International Women's Marathon with a time of 2 hours 21 minutes 18 seconds, the second-fastest on record for Japan. She also won a silver medal
in the World Championships
in Paris that year.
In 2005, as Globaly closed futures trade department and athletic team, Fujita and all his followers moved to Sysmex, an analysis instruments manufacturer, in December.
of Great Britain, and the 2003 world champion Catherine Ndereba
of Kenya. The race over the Classic course had begun with temperatures exceeding 95-degree (35°C) and a leading pack of 12 stayed together through halfway in 1 hour 14 minutes. Noguchi made her move on the tough uphill section between the 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) and 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) marks. When she reached the 30-kilometer sign, after running the previous 5 kilometers in just under 17 minutes, she had a 26-second lead on Elfenesh Alemu of Ethiopia and a 32-second lead on Radcliffe, Heading into the streets of downtown Athens, Noguchi held off Catherine Ndereba, who closed the gap over the final 5 kilometers but could not make up the difference. Noguchi won in 2 hours 26 minutes 20 seconds. Ndereba finished 12 seconds behind Noguchi. Deena Kastor
of the United States took the bronze at 2:27:20.
, which was her first big competition since winning the gold medal in Athens over a year ago. Four years ago, the Berlin Marathon was won by Naoko Takahashi
, the Japanese runner who took the Olympic gold medal in Sydney in 2000. Takahashi's remarkable win in 2001 in Berlin marked the first time in history that a woman ran sub-2:20, clocking in at 2 hours, 19 minutes and 46 seconds. Noguchi improved on Takahashi's time by more than half-a minute, winning the 2005 Marathon in 2:19:12. Noguchi's time set three new records: the Berlin Marathon course record, the Japanese record, and the Asian record.
After the victory, she declared:
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional long-distance runner who specialises in the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
event. She is an Olympic champion over the distance and set two world records in 2005.
Initially starting out as a track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
athlete, her first major success was becoming the Asian cross country champion
Asian Cross Country Championships
The Asian Cross Country Championships is a biennial regional cross country running competition for athletes from Asia. It is organised by the Asian Athletics Association and was first held in 1991 in Fukuoka, Japan...
at age 21. She soon switched to road running
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
, however, focusing on the half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
. She won the individual and team silver medals at the 1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
The 8th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on October 3, 1999 in the city of Palermo, Italy. A total of 193 athletes, 120 men and 73 women, from 48 countries took part.-Individual:-Team:-Individual:-Team:...
, and won a second team silver with a fourth place finish at the same competition in 2000
2000 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
The 9th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on November 12, 2000 in the city of Veracruz, Mexico. A total of 182 athletes, 121 men and 61 women, from 52 countries took part.-Individual:-Team:-Individual:-Team:...
.
A switch to the marathon event demonstrated her talents further: she won the Nagoya
Nagoya Marathon
The is an annual marathon race for female runners over the classic distance of 42 km and 195 metres, held in Nagoya, Japan in early March every year. It holds IAAF Silver Label road race status....
and Osaka Women's Marathons, and took the silver medal in the marathon at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
2003 World Championships in Athletics
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
. Her good form continued and she became the Olympic champion in the marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She won the Berlin Marathon
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
the following year, setting world records at 25 km and 30 km along the way, and finishing with a personal best of 2:19:12 – a new Asian record for the distance. The 25K world record was beaten by Mary Keitany of Kenya in 2010, who ran the distance in 1:19:53 hours.
Prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing, Noguchi had set the second fastest time in the world for the previous year. However, she was ruled out of all competitions after tests revealed that she had fatigue and a muscular back problem. She missed the Olympics and the whole of the 2009 and 2010 seasons as a result. She returned in November 2011 with a fifth place finish at the Zevenheuvelenloop
Zevenheuvelenloop
Zevenheuvelenloop is an annual 15 kilometres road running race held in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. It was first organised in 1984 and has grown to be one of the largest road races in the Netherlands; it attracted over 30,000 runners in 2008...
.
Early career
Noguchi was born in Kanagawa, but grew up in Ise in IseIse, Mie
, formerly called Ujiyamada , is a city located in eastern Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan.Ise is home to Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shintō Shrine in Japan, and is thus a very popular destination for tourists. The city has a long-standing nickname—Shinto —that roughly means...
city in Mie
Mie
Mie may refer to:* KMIE, the ICAO code for the Delaware County Airport near Muncie, Indiana* Mie Prefecture, Japan* Mie District, Mie, a district of Japan* Mie, Ōita, a town of Japan* Mie University, a university in Tsu, Mie, Japan...
. She started competing in track and field during her first year of middle school. While attending Ujiyamada Commercial High School, she entered the national high school track meet and competed in the 3000 m and the long-distance relay.
In 1997 she was hired by Wacoal
Wacoal
is a worldwide lingerie manufacturer and marketer headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It is a subsidiary wholly owned by .Wako Shoji was founded by Koichi Tsukamoto in 1946...
, a maker of women's clothing, as part of their "Spark Angels" program of sponsored women athletes. However, in October of the following year the director, Nobuyuki Fujita (藤田信之), left over differences with the company. He took with him a coach and a few athletes, including Noguchi. While she was receiving unemployment benefits for a short time, she remained active athletically. In February 1999, Fujita and all his followers were hired by Globaly, a commodity futures firm.
Noguchi began 1999 by winning individual and team gold at the Asian Cross Country Championships
Asian Cross Country Championships
The Asian Cross Country Championships is a biennial regional cross country running competition for athletes from Asia. It is organised by the Asian Athletics Association and was first held in 1991 in Fukuoka, Japan...
, but after winning the Inuyama half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
, she was inspired to concentrate her efforts on that event. She was ranked second in the world that year, and in 2001 she won in the all-Japan corporate league. With a string of victories, she became known as "Queen of the Half Marathon". Continuing through the Miyazaki
Miyazaki, Miyazaki
is the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. Located on the coast and perforated by several rivers, Miyazaki City enjoys scenic views of both ocean and nearby, verdant mountains...
Women's Road Race competition in January 2004, she competed in 24 half marathons, and won 14 of them. Only twice was she beaten by another Japanese athlete.
In March 2002 she entered her first full marathon, the Nagoya International Women's Marathon, and won. In January 2003 she won the Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
International Women's Marathon with a time of 2 hours 21 minutes 18 seconds, the second-fastest on record for Japan. She also won a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the World Championships
2003 World Championships in Athletics
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
in Paris that year.
In 2005, as Globaly closed futures trade department and athletic team, Fujita and all his followers moved to Sysmex, an analysis instruments manufacturer, in December.
2004 Olympic champion
On 22 August 2004 Noguchi won the marathon in the 2004 Athens Olympics, against a field which included world record holder Paula RadcliffePaula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2:15:25 hours...
of Great Britain, and the 2003 world champion Catherine Ndereba
Catherine Ndereba
Wincatherine Nyambura Ndereba is a Kenyan marathon runner. She has twice won the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics and won silver medals in the Olympics in 2004 and 2008. She is also a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon...
of Kenya. The race over the Classic course had begun with temperatures exceeding 95-degree (35°C) and a leading pack of 12 stayed together through halfway in 1 hour 14 minutes. Noguchi made her move on the tough uphill section between the 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) and 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) marks. When she reached the 30-kilometer sign, after running the previous 5 kilometers in just under 17 minutes, she had a 26-second lead on Elfenesh Alemu of Ethiopia and a 32-second lead on Radcliffe, Heading into the streets of downtown Athens, Noguchi held off Catherine Ndereba, who closed the gap over the final 5 kilometers but could not make up the difference. Noguchi won in 2 hours 26 minutes 20 seconds. Ndereba finished 12 seconds behind Noguchi. Deena Kastor
Deena Kastor
Deena Michelle Kastor is an American long-distance runner. She holds American records in the marathon, half-marathon, and numerous road distances. She won the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece...
of the United States took the bronze at 2:27:20.
World records
On September 25, 2005 Noguchi won the Berlin MarathonBerlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
, which was her first big competition since winning the gold medal in Athens over a year ago. Four years ago, the Berlin Marathon was won by Naoko Takahashi
Naoko Takahashi
is a Japanese long-distance runner competing mainly in the marathon. She is widely known for her victory in the women's marathon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, a performance that stands as the current Olympic record. At the 2001 Berlin Marathon, Takahashi became the first woman to break the 2...
, the Japanese runner who took the Olympic gold medal in Sydney in 2000. Takahashi's remarkable win in 2001 in Berlin marked the first time in history that a woman ran sub-2:20, clocking in at 2 hours, 19 minutes and 46 seconds. Noguchi improved on Takahashi's time by more than half-a minute, winning the 2005 Marathon in 2:19:12. Noguchi's time set three new records: the Berlin Marathon course record, the Japanese record, and the Asian record.
After the victory, she declared:
Achievements
- All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
Representing 2002 Nagoya Marathon Nagoya MarathonThe is an annual marathon race for female runners over the classic distance of 42 km and 195 metres, held in Nagoya, Japan in early March every year. It holds IAAF Silver Label road race status....Nagoya, Japan 1st 2:25:35 2003 Osaka International Ladies Marathon Osaka, Japan 1st 2:21:18 World Championships 2003 World Championships in AthleticsThe 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...Paris, France 2nd 2:24:14 2003 World Championships in Athletics - Women's MarathonThe Women's Marathon at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, France was held on Sunday August 31, 2003, starting at 14:20h local time.-Medalists:-Abbreviations:*All times shown are in hours:minutes:seconds-Intermediates:-Final ranking:...2004 Olympic Games Athletics at the 2004 Summer OlympicsAt the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put...Athens, Greece 1st 2:26:20 Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's MarathonThe Women's Marathon event at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place on August 22, 2004 in the streets of Athens, Greece. World record holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain started as favourite for the race, and led from the start. However, she was overtaken by Mizuki Noguchi, from Japan and...2005 Berlin Marathon Berlin MarathonThe Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...Berlin, Germany 1st 2:19:12 2007 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo International Women's MarathonThe Tokyo International Women's Marathon was a marathon for female elite runners held in Tokyo from 1979 until 2008 in November.It was first held in November 1979, and this race was the first women's marathon officially sanctioned by the International Amateur Athletic Federation...Tokyo, Japan 1st 2:21:37