The Osaka-Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon (びわ湖毎日マラソン, Biwako Mainichi Marason) was a marathon race held in Otsu, Shiga, Japan. It was one of the prominent marathons in Japan. It was a male only competition and had IAAF Gold Label status.[1] It was first held in 1946 and, having taken place every year since then, it was Japan's oldest annual marathon race.[2] The early editions of the race were held in Osaka until a switch to Tokyo occurred for the 1963–64 marathons, and all subsequent races thereafter were held in Shiga Prefecture, starting in Ōtsu fronting Lake Biwa, where the race received its name. It was sponsored by Mainichi and was known simply as the Mainichi Marathon for a period.[3] The final race was held in 2021.[4]

Lake Biwa Marathon
2015 Lake Biwa Marathon
DateEarly March
LocationŌtsu, Shiga, Japan Japan
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
Primary sponsorSEI
K-Opticom Corporation (2010–)
Established1946
Course records2:04:56 (2021)
Japan Kengo Suzuki
Official siteLake Biwa Marathon
Participants325 (2021)

The race began and ended at the Ojiyama Stadium.[1] The Lake Biwa Marathon was selected as the Japanese national marathon championships on dozens of occasions, starting in 1960.[3] The course record for the competition was 2:04:56 hours, set by Kengo Suzuki at the final 2021 edition.[4] The 2021 race was also noteworthy for having 29 runners finish in under 2:09:00 and 42 runners finish under 2:10:00.[5]

The race was merged into the Osaka Marathon by the JAAF. The elite men's race at the Osaka Marathon for 2022 was designated by officials as the 77th Annual Lake Biwa Marathon, while the other races were billed as the Osaka Marathon.

Winners

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Key:   Course record   Japanese championship race   Asian Marathon Championship race

 
Record holder Kengo Suzuki (pictured in 2019)
 
Paul Tergat won the 2009 competition
 
Martín Fiz of Spain is a three-time winner of the race
 
Samuel Ndungu
Edition Date Winner Time
77th 27 February 2022   Gaku Hoshi (JPN) 2:07:31
76th 28 February 2021   Kengo Suzuki (JPN) 2:04:56
75th 8 March 2020   Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:07:29
74th 10 March 2019   Salah-Eddine Bounasr (MAR) 2:07:52
73rd 4 March 2018   Joseph Ndirangu (KEN) 2:07:53
72nd 5 March 2017   Ezekiel Chebii (KEN) 2:09:06
71st 6 March 2016   Lucas Rotich (KEN) 2:09:11
70th 1 March 2015   Samuel Ndungu (KEN) 2:09:08
69th 2 March 2014   Bazu Worku (ETH) 2:09:10
68th 3 March 2013   Vincent Kipruto (KEN) 2:08:34
67th 4 March 2012   Samuel Ndungu (KEN) 2:07:04
66th 6 March 2011   Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 2:06:13
65th 7 March 2010   Yemane Tsegay (ETH) 2:09:34
64th 1 March 2009   Paul Tergat (KEN) 2:10:22
63rd 2 March 2008   Mubarak Hassan Shami (QAT) 2:08:23
62nd 4 March 2007   Samson Ramadhani (TAN) 2:10:43
61st 5 March 2006   José Ríos (ESP) 2:09:15
60th 6 March 2005   Joseph Riri (KEN) 2:09:00
59th 7 March 2004   José Ríos (ESP) 2:07:42
58th 2 March 2003   Japhet Kosgei (KEN) 2:07:39
57th 3 March 2002   Ryūji Takei (JPN) 2:08:35
56th 4 March 2001   Antoni Peña (ESP) 2:07:34
55th 5 March 2000   Martín Fiz (ESP) 2:08:14
54th 7 March 1999   Martín Fiz (ESP) 2:08:50
53rd 1 March 1998   Muneyuki Ojima (JPN) 2:08:43
52nd 2 March 1997   Martín Fiz (ESP) 2:08:05
51st 3 March 1996   Joaquim Pinheiro (POR) 2:09:32
50th 19 March 1995   Yūji Nakamura (JPN) 2:10:49
49th 6 March 1994   Kenichi Suzuki (JPN) 2:11:05
48th 14 March 1993   Mike O'Reilly (IRL) 2:11:01
47th 15 March 1992   Mike O'Reilly (IRL) 2:13:15
46th 10 March 1991   Simon Mrashani (TAN) 2:11:34
45th 11 March 1990   Eddy Hellebuyck (BEL) 2:13:03
44th 12 March 1989   Tōru Kozasu (JPN) 2:14:31
43rd 13 March 1988   Toshihiko Seko (JPN) 2:12:41
42nd 8 March 1987   Fumiaki Abe (JPN) 2:11:08
41st 9 March 1986   Toshihiro Shibutani (JPN) 2:14:55
40th 10 March 1985   Fumiaki Abe (JPN) 2:11:04
39th 11 March 1984   Tetsuji Iwase (JPN) 2:14:24
38th 13 March 1983   Kōshirō Kawaguchi (JPN) 2:13:22
37th 14 March 1982   Michio Mizukubo (JPN) 2:15:23
36th 15 March 1981   Masao Matsuo (JPN) 2:14:38
35th 23 March 1980   Hiroshi Yuge (JPN) 2:14:33
34th 15 April 1979   Shigeru So (JPN) 2:13:26
33rd 23 April 1978   Takeshi So (JPN) 2:15:15
32nd 17 April 1977   Karel Lismont (BEL) 2:14:08
31st 18 April 1976   Akio Usami (JPN) 2:15:22
30th 20 April 1975   Akio Usami (JPN) 2:12:40
29th 21 April 1974   Akio Usami (JPN) 2:13:24
28th 18 March 1973   Frank Shorter (USA) 2:12:03
27th 19 March 1972   Akio Usami (JPN) 2:20:24
26th 21 March 1971   Yoshiaki Unetani (JPN) 2:16:45.4
25th 12 April 1970   Bill Adcocks (GBR) 2:13:46
24th 11 May 1969   Kazuo Matsubara (JPN) 2:22:44
23rd 14 April 1968   Akio Usami (JPN) 2:13:49
22nd 14 May 1967   Yoshiro Mifune (JPN) 2:25:53
21st 5 June 1966   Yoshiro Mifune (JPN) 2:26:01.6
20th 9 May 1965   Abebe Bikila (ETH) 2:22:55.8
19th 12 April 1964   Kenji Kimihara (JPN) 2:17:11.4
18th 12 May 1963   Kenji Kimihara (JPN) 2:20:24.8
17th 13 May 1962   Masayuki Nagata (JPN) 2:27:37
16th 25 June 1961   Abebe Bikila (ETH) 2:29:27
15th 15 May 1960   Nobuyoshi Sadanaga (JPN) 2:34:57
14th 10 May 1959   Kurao Hiroshima (JPN) 2:30:06
13th 11 May 1958   Takayuki Nakao (JPN) 2:25:51
12th 3 May 1957   Kurao Hiroshima (JPN) 2:31:20
11th 6 May 1956   Yoshiaki Kawashima (JPN) 2:27:45
10th 8 May 1955   Kurao Hiroshima (JPN) 2:26:32
9th 16 May 1954   Hideo Hamamura (JPN) 2:27:56
8th 10 May 1953   Hiroshi Uwa (JPN) 2:41:28
7th 4 May 1952   Yoshitaka Uchikawa (JPN) 2:29:54.4
6th 6 May 1951   Tadashi Asai (JPN) 2:32:41
5th 7 May 1950   Giichi Noda (JPN) 2:37:25
4th 4 May 1949   Saburō Yamada (JPN) 2:40:32
3rd 9 May 1948   Shinzō Koga (JPN) 2:40:05
2nd 18 May 1947   Shinzō Koga (JPN) 2:43:17
1st 10 February 1946   Shinzō Koga (JPN) 2:44:57

Statistics

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Qualifications

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The runners needed to meet both of the following requirements, or have a special recommendation from the JAAF, to enter the competition. 1, The runner must be at least 19 years old on the day of competition. 2, The runner should have achieved one of the following time within two years from the date of the competition.

  • (1)Marathon: 2 hours 30 minutes or less
  • (2)Half Marathon: 1 hour 10 minutes or less
  • (3)30km: 1 hour 40 minutes or less
  • (4)20km: 1 hour 5 minutes or less
  • (5)10000m: 31 minutes or less

References

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  1. ^ a b Nakamura, Ken (2010-03-07). Tsegay takes Lake Biwa crown. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-08.
  2. ^ Nakamura, Ken (2010-03-05). Course record in jeopardy at Lake Biwa Marathon? - Preview. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-08.
  3. ^ a b Biwa-ko Mainichi Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2010-02-08.
  4. ^ a b "Kengo Suzuki wins last Biwako marathon with Japan record", The Asahi Shimbun, February 28, 2021
  5. ^ Perelman, Rich (February 28, 2021), "Highlights: Gut-Behrami on fire on snow; A&M frosh Mu runs 1:58.40; 42 sub-2:10 finishers in Lake Biwa Marathon!", The Sports Examiner
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