Skip to main content

IOC to Change Name Listing of 1936 Marathon Gold Medalist Sohn

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/f-sp-tp0-20111216-877260.html

translated by Brett Larner

On Dec. 15 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that in its official website listing of Olympic medalists the entry for Japanese citizen and 1936 Berlin Olympics marathon gold medalist, the late Son Kitei, would be changed to Sohn Kee-Chung, the Korean pronunciation of his name.  The record will also include a note explaining that he was a native of the Korean peninsula, a Japanese colony at the time.

The Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) has long demanded that the listing of Son's name be changed from the Japanese reading "Son Kitei."  An IOC spokesperson commented, "We don't want to change Olympic history," explaining that the switch to the Korean pronunciation will not be made in the official records, to which a footnote giving the Korean pronunciation "Sohn Kee-Chung" will be appended.

Also to be included are an account of a Korean newspaper from that era which printed a picture of Son with the Japanese flag on his uniform erased, an act which resulted in the newspaper's staff being jailed, and other accounts of the Korean resistance against Japan.  The IOC spokesperson said, "We want to provide more information to help people understand the complicated history of that time."  The Korean media has responded to the announcement by saying, "We've gotten part of what we want."

Translator's note: No mention of 1936 bronze medalist Shoryu Nan, another Korean running under the Japanese military occupation.  As of this writing, the IOC website still lists Sohn Kee-Chung by the Japanese reading of his name.  Excluding Sohn and his uncertain official status, no Japanese man has ever won an Olympic marathon gold medal.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Gold Coast Half Marathon and Marathon Preview

Australia's Gold Coast Half Marathon and Marathon are big draws for Japanese corporate leaguers these days, especially with a big contingent from this year's National Corporate Half Marathon dominating the entry lists in the half. Two-time winner Sara Hall is top-ranked in the women's half with a 1:07:15 from Houston two years ago and will mostly be racing Leanne Pompeani for the win. Beyond that there's a big group at the 1:10 level including Japan's Rinka Hida , Yukari Nagatomo and Moe Shimizu who should all be in it for 3rd. The men's half is dominated by four Japanese men who broke 1:01 at the National Corporate Half in February, meaning that if the weather is decent then the 1:01:16 CR is likely to fall to Shunsuke Shikama , Koki Kamata , Soshi Suzuki or Daisuke Doi . That's a big if, though, with >50% chance of rain and a headwind in the 2nd half that's forecast to get stronger as the race goes along. The favorite for the win and a shot at...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kobe Marathon Elite Field

Sunday's Kobe Marathon has announced its elite fields, finally. Japanese athletes have a shot at qualifying for next fall's MGC Race, the official trials race for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, if they go sub-2:27 for the first Japanese woman across the line or sub-2:09 for the first 3 Japanese men to do it. There aren't a lot of contenders to pull it off. On the women's side, Kaede Hagitani , Ayaka Shimoyamada and Kotomi Tsubokura all ran 2:31-32 PBs in the spring and will need to step it up a couple of notches to get there. 2:23 Kenyan Antonina Kwambai is perfectly positioned to help. On the men's side, Keijiro Mogi is closest with a 2:09:06 at last year's Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, Hiroto Kanamori his closest domestic competition with a 2:10:01 PB in Osaka in February. The international trio of last year's winner Barnaba Kipkoech , Elisha Rotich and Goitom Kifle all have recent 2:06-7 times and should help set it up for someone to get there, wh...
1 comment
Read more