Lake Biwa Marathon Explained

Bgcolour:	lightblue
Date:	Early March
Location:	Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan
Type:	Road
Distance:	Marathon
Est:	1946
Sponsor:	SEI K-Opticom Corporation (2010 -)
Participants:	325 (2021)

The 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.

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. The 2021 race was also noteworthy for having 29 runners finish in under 2:09:00 and 42 runners finish under 2:10:00.

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

Key:

Edition	Date	Winner	Time
	27 February 2022		2:07:31
	28 February 2021		2:04:56
	8 March 2020		2:07:29
	10 March 2019		2:07:52
	4 March 2018		2:07:53
	5 March 2017		2:09:06
	6 March 2016		2:09:11
	1 March 2015		2:09:08
	2 March 2014		2:09:10
	3 March 2013		2:08:34
	4 March 2012		2:07:04
	6 March 2011		2:06:13
	7 March 2010		2:09:34
	1 March 2009		2:10:22
	2 March 2008		2:08:23
	4 March 2007		2:10:43
	5 March 2006		2:09:15
	6 March 2005		2:09:00
	7 March 2004		2:07:42
	2 March 2003		2:07:39
	3 March 2002		2:08:35
	4 March 2001		2:07:34
	5 March 2000		2:08:14
	7 March 1999		2:08:50
	1 March 1998		2:08:43
	2 March 1997		2:08:05
	3 March 1996		2:09:32
	19 March 1995		2:10:49
	6 March 1994		2:11:05
	14 March 1993		2:11:01
	15 March 1992		2:13:15
	10 March 1991		2:11:34
	11 March 1990		2:13:03
	12 March 1989		2:14:31
	13 March 1988		2:12:41
	8 March 1987		2:11:08
	9 March 1986		2:14:55
	10 March 1985		2:11:04
	11 March 1984		2:14:24
	13 March 1983		2:13:22
	14 March 1982		2:15:23
	15 March 1981		2:14:38
	23 March 1980		2:14:33
	15 April 1979		2:13:26
	23 April 1978		2:15:15
	17 April 1977		2:14:08
	18 April 1976		2:15:22
	20 April 1975		2:12:40
	21 April 1974		2:13:24
	18 March 1973		2:12:03
	19 March 1972		2:20:24
	21 March 1971		2:16:45.4
	12 April 1970		2:13:46
	11 May 1969		2:22:44
	14 April 1968		2:13:49
	14 May 1967		2:25:53
	5 June 1966		2:26:01.6
	9 May 1965		2:22:55.8
	12 April 1964		2:17:11.4
	12 May 1963		2:20:24.8
	13 May 1962		2:27:37
	25 June 1961		2:29:27
	15 May 1960		2:34:57
	10 May 1959		2:30:06
	11 May 1958		2:25:51
	3 May 1957		2:31:20
	6 May 1956		2:27:45
	8 May 1955		2:26:32
	16 May 1954		2:27:56
	10 May 1953		2:41:28
	4 May 1952		2:29:54.4
	6 May 1951		2:32:41
	7 May 1950		2:37:25
	4 May 1949		2:40:32
	9 May 1948		2:40:05
	18 May 1947		2:43:17
	10 February 1946		2:44:57

Statistics

Winners by country

Country	Total wins
	44
	11
	6
	4
	2
	2
	2
	1
	1
	1
	1

Multiple winners

Athlete	Wins	Years
Akio Usami	5	1968, 1972, 1974–76
Shinzō Koga	3	1946–1948
Kurao Hiroshima	3	1955, 1957, 1959
Martín Fiz	3	1997, 1999, 2000
Abebe Bikila	2	1961, 1965
Kenji Kimihara	2	1963, 1964
Yoshiro Mifune	2	1966, 1967
Fumiaki Abe	2	1985, 1987
Mike O'Reilly	2	1992, 1993
José Ríos	2	2004, 2006
Samuel Ndungu	2	2012, 2015

Qualifications

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

External links

- Marathoninfo - Lake Biwa Marathon

Notes and References

Nakamura, Ken (2010-03-07). Tsegay takes Lake Biwa crown. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-08.
Nakamura, Ken (2010-03-05). Course record in jeopardy at Lake Biwa Marathon? - Preview. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-08.
https://arrs.run/HP_BiwMa.htm Biwa-ko Mainichi Marathon