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Yoshio Koide, Coach of Olympic Medalists Arimori and Takahashi, Retires at Age 79



Yoshio Koide, 79, coach of 2000 Sydney Olympics women's marathon gold medalist and former world record holder Naoko Takahashi, retired from his position as head of the Sakura AC at the end of March. Koide's coaching contract with the Universal Entertainment corporate team likewise ran out at the end of March, and he did not renew it. Koide commented, "On the 15th I turn 80. This is a good time to step down and let someone younger take over."

In the summer of 2015 Koide underwent heart surgery while at a training camp in the United States, and since then he has been in and out of the hospital. His age was also simply starting to have an effect. "I love the race more than anything else," he said. "I'm sorry to leave, but taking care of my body is simply more important."

Koide graduated from Juntendo University. As a high school coach he led the Funabashi Municipal H.S. team to the National High School Ekiden Championships title in 1986. In 1988 he became head coach of the Recuit corporate team. " He made his name as a marathon coach by guiding Yuko Arimori to two-straight Olympic marathon medals with a silver at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

In 1997 he began coaching Takahashi at the Sekisui Kagaku corporate team. He left Sekisui Kagaku in 2002 to found the Sakura AC, helping to coach teams and individuals on a contractual basis.

source article:
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20190401-00000061-mai-spo
translated by Brett Larner

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