Yuko Arimori

Yuko Arimori (Japanese有 森 裕子, Arimori Yuko, born December 17, 1966 in Okayama ) is a former Japanese marathon runner who won two medals at the Olympic Games.

In 1990, she finished sixth in the Osaka Women's Marathon. With 2:32:51 h she ran the fastest debut by then a Japanese woman. The following year she was at the same place with the second national record of 2:28:01. At the World Athletics Championships 1991 in Tokyo, she finished fourth and then nominated for the 1992 Olympics.

For a year, she prepared under their coach Yoshio Koide in Colorado before. Monthly put it back more than 1000 km, with training runs, which amounted to more than 50 km.

In Barcelona she won in 2:32:49 residue with only eight seconds to the winner of Valentina Egorova the silver medal. Then she was put out of action by an ankle injury. Only in 1995 they reported back with a victory at the Hokkaido Marathon in 2:29:17 and was then prepared by the Japanese Association for her second Olympic marathon at the Games in Atlanta in 1996, without having to compete in another marathon. Again prepared in Colorado before, and in the winter she won the Halbmarathonbwerb the Las Vegas Marathon.

In Atlanta, both Jegorowa as well Arimori had, though they were more than four minutes faster than in Barcelona, ​​the Ethiopian Fatuma Roba beaten, who won in 2:26:05. Silver went to Jegorowa ( 2:28:05 ), bronze at Arimori, with 2:28:39 had six seconds ahead of Katrin Dorre - Heinig. Arimori was with this second Olympic medal for national heroine and the first long-distance runner, who was recognized by the Japanese Olympic Committee as a professional.

Then she bought a house in Boulder ( Colorado) and married in January 1998, the dance teacher Gabriel Wilson. In 1999, she reported back with a third place at the Boston Marathon in the competition scene. The following year, however, was not enough, a ninth place in Osaka to re- qualify for the Olympics. In the fall she finished sixth at the Philadelphia Half Marathon and Tenth at the New York City Marathon.

In 2001 she won the Gold Coast Marathon and was tenth at the Tokyo International Women's Marathon. After more than five years break she officially ended her athletic career with a fifth place at the Tokyo Marathon 2007 in 2:52:45.

Yuko Arimori is 1.65 meters tall and weighs 47 kg. In 1999, she completed her studies at the Nippon Sport Science University and became a member of the company's team of Recruit. In 1996 she was awarded the Kikuchi Kan Prize.

In 1998 she founded the non-profit organization Hearts of Gold, supports aid projects in Cambodia and East Timor, and in 2002 she became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA). In the same year she became director of the newly founded sports agency RIGHTS. In 2008 she was elected chairperson of Special Olympics Nippon. In 2010 she was awarded by the IOC for her services to women's sport with the Women and Sport Award for Asia. She serves on the board of the Japanese Athletics Association JAAF and the Women's Committee of the IAAF. In her home town of Okayama there is a museum dedicated to her.

Personal Best

• Half Marathon: 1:12:52 h, September 17, 2000 Philadelphia
• Marathon: 2:26:39 h, April 19 1999 Boston