Skip to main content

Yuka Suzuki Leaves Daiichi Seimei to Join Husband Akira Akasaki at Kraftia


The top Japanese finisher in the 2024 Paris Olympics women's marathon at 6th, Yuka Suzuki, 26, announced this week on her social media that she has left the Daiichi Seimei corporate team to transfer to Kraftia. "I'm really grateful to everyone who's helped me get where I am, and I know it's a level not everyone can get to," she wrote.

Suzuki joined Daiichi Seimei in 2022 after graduating from Daito Bunka University. "The last few years I came to realize how incredible the fan support is in the corporate leagues and at the Olympics," she wrote. "My memories of the MGC Race and Paris Olympics really stand out. Even when the weather wasn't great or the race was far away there were always people there to cheer for me. That's not something you should take for granted, and I want to take the time to put my thanks to all of you into words."

Talking about what comes next, Suzuki wrote, "I had a lot of options, and I wanted to be in an environment where I could experience new training and coaching methods to help me reach my goal of competing globally alongside my husband. There were other things too, but I've made up my mind on this."

In June Suzuki married Akira Akasaki, 6th-placer in the men's marathon in Paris. As part of her announcement this week she said she would be changing her name to Yuka Akasaki after transferring, saying, "A lot of couples struggle with being located in different places, but I've decided that this is the time to take this step to be together. I'm fully committed to this route forward, and I will make it the right one."

Translator's note: 1991 Tokyo World Championships women's marathon silver medalist Sachiko Yamashita stepped down as head of Daiichi Seimei in October. She had played a key role in getting Suzuki, the collegiate marathon national record holder, to the team after her graduation. Daiichi Seimei was 15th of 24 teams at last month's Queens Ekiden national championship, while Kraftia finished last.


Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
This goes some way in explaining her absence at the Queen's Ekiden. I hope she has greater success than Ichiyama Mao when she moved from Wacoal to Shiseido not long after her marriage.

Also I'm curious about Kokai Haruka's absence from the Daichii Seimei team at the Queen's Ekiden. Is she injured, out of form or also on the move to a different team after Sachiko Yamashita stepped down as head?
December 19, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...
Post a Comment
Read more

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...
3 comments
Read more