Naoko Takahashi: A Runner Who Gives Us Hope
November 25 (Friday) 2005
Marathon runner Naoko Takahashi has accomplished a tremendous feat.
In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Takahashi captured the gold medal for the women's marathon, catapulting her into fame as a national heroine for the Japanese people. Her charming smile, cheerful attitude, and determined spirit drew many people to her. And it goes without saying that her gold medal in the women's marathon was Japan's first in Olympic history.
However, at the 2003 Tokyo International Women's Marathon, Takahashi lost to Ethiopia's Elfenesh Alemu on the last hill, forfeiting her place as a contender in the 2004 Athens Olympics and forcing her to step out of the limelight. To most, her glory days seemed to be over.
Takahashi continued to run with everything she had, but unable to achieve the results she wanted, she pushed too hard and injured herself in the process. She also parted ways with Yoshio Koide, the coach who had trained her and first brought her to the world stage, and formed "Team Q" with her training partners, with whom she could devote herself to the discipline of independence. However, she was beset by injuries and bad luck. While new runners debuted one after another, Takahashi was still hailed as a superstar even as she was beginning to be forgotten.
All of that changed this year at the November 20 Tokyo International Women's Marathon, as Takahashi shattered people's expectations and pulled far ahead of the other runners to victory. In truth, Takahashi had inflammation in fascia in three spots on her legs, including her calf, and her doctor had ordered her against participating in any marathon for at least one month, until she was completely recovered. But Takahashi was determined. "It would be ridiculous", she said, "to work this hard and come this far, just to quit over something like this", and, ignoring her doctor's warnings, entered the race.
Stepping onto the victor's podium, she thanked the spectators and proceeded to open her heart to the crowd.
"To all those who are struggling in darkness, to all those who are troubled: set a goal. Be it a goal for one day, or a goal for three years, I believe that having any goal makes every day worthwhile. We are all given 24 hours a day. I want everybody to have a dream and make the most of each day. This time won't come again, so use it to strive with everything you have toward something fulfilling and something you enjoy."
Her victory, and the words she spoke from her heart upon the podium, had a strong impact on many people. More accurately, more than an impact, her words gave people all over the country a bright ray of hope, a feeling of having one's confidence returned. Famous athletes who make comebacks and athletes coming from behind to win a victory are themselves not all that unusual, but words like those spoken by Takahashi are rare. Working hard each day not to lose sight of her dream, there is no question that her words flowed from the heart, a product of the many hardships she endured and her determination during the last two years she spent training in Japan and Colorado. I feel that she cast a ray of hope and courage to the many people who are given to blaming their own lives on other people or society, people who are backward looking and fall easily into pessimism. This time around, Takahashi--affectionately known as Q-chan -- has genuinely become the people's heroine. Q-chan, congratulations.