Osaka Women's Marathon

For the race launched in 2011, see Osaka Marathon.
Osaka Women's Marathon
The city course loops past Osaka Castle twice
Date4th or 5th Sunday of January
LocationOsaka, Japan
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
Primary sponsorOkumura
Established1982
Course records2:18:51
Ethiopia Workenesh Edesa (2024)
Official siteOsaka Women's Marathon
Participants257 finishers (2022)
423 (2020)
366 (2019)

The Osaka International Women's Marathon (大阪国際女子マラソン, Ōsaka Kokusai Joshi Marason) is an annual marathon road race for women over the classic distance of 42.195 kilometres which is held on the 4th or 5th Sunday of January in the city of Osaka, Japan, and hosted by Japan Association of Athletics Federations, Kansai Telecasting Corporation, the Sankei Shimbun, Sankei Sports, Radio Osaka and Osaka City.

The first edition took place on January 24, 1982, and was won by Italy's Rita Marchisio. The 1995 marathon was cancelled due to the Great Hanshin earthquake. The race takes place in the city and passes prominent landmarks such as Osaka Castle. The course was altered in 2011 to allow for faster times by cutting out a number of hilly sections near Osaka Castle.[1] The finish line of the race is at Nagai Stadium, which was the host venue for the 2007 World Championships in Athletics.[2]

The Osaka Half Marathon, open regardless of gender, is held alongside the women's marathon.[3][4]

The Japanese rock group The Alfee provided a new theme song for Kansai TV's broadcast of the event every year for 31 consecutive years from 1987 until 2018, when the broadcaster announced they would no longer use themes.[5] The band were certified with a Guinness World Record for the achievement in December 2018.[6][7]

  1. ^ Nakamura, Ken (2011-01-28). Osaka Women’s Marathon - PREVIEW. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
  2. ^ Nakamura, Ken (2011-01-30). Akaba out-duels Ito in windy Osaka. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
  3. ^ "Osaka Leads Weekend Action".
  4. ^ "Home". half.osaka-marathon.jp.
  5. ^ "３２年３１曲　大阪国際女子マラソン"ラストラン"アルフィーに労いの声" (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 2018-01-28. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  6. ^ "Most theme songs sung by the same artist for the same international sports event broadcast on TV". Guinness World Record. 2003-08-31. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  7. ^ "THE ALFEE、ギネス認定 坂崎「長生きするものですね」 公演数記録も更新" (in Japanese). Music Voice. 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2023-10-03.