Takahashi naoko biography books

Japanese long-distance runner

For the artist and musician, see NaoKo TakaHashi.

Naoko Takahashi (高橋 尚子, Takahashi Naoko, born May 6, 1972) is a retired Japaneselong-distance runner and Olympicgold medal-winning marathoner.

She won the gold medal in the marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and at the 2001 Berlin Marathon she became the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Biography

Early years

Takahashi was born in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture on May 6, 1972, the eldest daughter of educator Yoshiaki Takahashi and his wife Shigeko.^[1] Her father was a kindergarten principal.^[2] She is a second cousin-niece of chemist and Nobel Prize laureate Hideki Shirakawa.^[1]

Competitive career

Takahashi started running track in junior high school, and placed second in the 1500 meter and third in the 3000 meter races at the Japanese national collegiate championships while attending Osaka Gakuin University.

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