Famous People in Japan



Arimori Yuko

Date of Birth 17 December 1966
Place of Birth Okayama

Arimori Yuko is one of the most famous athletes in Japan and in the world.

She was born in Okayama on December 17 in 1966. When she was born, her illness was diagnosed as congenital dislocation of foot joint, and she was treated with a cast.

She took first prize in 800-meter run at the athletic meet in 1978 when she was a seventh grader. It would be one of the opportunities to make her found her ability.

She entered Japan Physical Educational University, and she won second prize in 3000-meter run at the inter-college athletic competition in which she was a freshman at the university. After that she was worried about her leg trouble, so she couldn't gain a good record.

She graduated from Japan Physical Educational University in March of 1989, and she joined Recruit Company.

In January of 1990, she took part in Osaka International Women's marathon for the first time, and she established a new Japanese record of first marathon ( in those days ). The next year, in January, she established a new Japanese record at Osaka International Women's marathon.

In August of 1992, she gained a silver medal in the marathon in the Barcelona Olympic Games.

In November of 1994, she had an operation on her heel. Then she overcame her heel trouble, and she won the championship in Hokkaido marathon in August of 1995. The next year, in August she gained a bronze medal in the marathon in the Atlanta Olympic Games.

She resigned from Recruit Company in 1997, and she signed a business commission contract with the company again.

Now she has gone to the United States to study English since January in 1997. She has been elected to ba arunner in the Nagano Olympic Torch Relay. Then her first memoir "Animo" was published. In the memoir she tells about her life until then as an athlete with photographs.

The other day, the big news about her was reported in news programs. It was that she had just married on January 14 in 1998. Her partner is an American who is a teacher. Congratulations!

References: With (Vol 18.1, January 1998, p.366~367), News programs ( January 16, 1998)

Reported by: Yasuko Ueda
Data verified by: Maiko Aiba
Date of Report: January 1998

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