World University Games Half Marathon Gold Medalist Yuka Suzuki Going for Collegiate Record in Debut at Nagoya Women's Marathon
Part of the qualification process for this summer's Oregon World Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics marathon trials, the Nagoya Women's Marathon takes place this Sunday, Mar. 13. One of the women who will be lining up is star 22-year-old collegiate distance runner Yuka Suzuki. A 4th-year at Daito Bunka University with a best of 31:37.88 for 10000 m, Suzuki won the gold medal in the World University Games half marathon her 2nd year of college. Ever since then, the Olympics have been a clear target. "I want to go for the Paris Olympics, and even higher goals," she says. "That's why I want to run my first marathon before I graduate."
Suzuki also has an artistic side. Holding up a picture she drew she says, "This is the scene of entering Nagoya Dome right before the finish. When I was young I wanted to be a manga or anime artist." She has painted since she was a child, and sometimes she gives teammates drawings or paintings for their birthdays.
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Suzuki's goal in Nagoya is to break the collegiate women's marathon record of 2:26:46, set 8 years ago by Sairi Maeda. "I'm going after it seriously," she says. "I want to run confidently. If I can run up to my potential then there's nothing to be afraid of."
Translator's note: The silver medalist behind Suzuki at the 2019 World University Games, Rika Kaseda, made her marathon debut in Tokyo last weekend, running 2:28:29 for 11th.
translated and edited by Brett Larner
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