The is an annual marathon road race for women over the classic distance of 42.195 kilometres which is held on the 4th or 5th Sunday of January in the city of Osaka, Japan, and hosted by Japan Association of Athletics Federations, Kansai Telecasting Corporation, the Sankei Shimbun, Sankei Sports, Radio Osaka and Osaka City.
The first edition took place on January 24, 1982, and was won by Italy's Rita Marchisio. The 1995 marathon was cancelled due to the Great Hanshin earthquake. The race takes place in the city and passes prominent landmarks such as Osaka Castle. The course was altered in 2011 to allow for faster times by cutting out a number of hilly sections near Osaka Castle.Nakamura, Ken (2011-01-28). Osaka Women’s Marathon - PREVIEW. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-30. The finish line of the race is at Nagai Stadium, which was the host venue for the 2007 World Championships in Athletics.Nakamura, Ken (2011-01-30). Akaba out-duels Ito in windy Osaka. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
The Osaka Half Marathon, open regardless of gender, is held alongside the women's marathon.
The Japanese rock group The Alfee provided a new theme song for Kansai TV's broadcast of the event every year for 31 consecutive years from 1987 until 2018, when the broadcaster announced they would no longer use themes. The band were certified with a Guinness World Record for the achievement in December 2018.
Winners
Key:
EditionDateWinnerCountryTime (h:m:s)1stJanuary 24, 1982Rita Marchisio Italy 2:32:552ndJanuary 30, 1983Carey May Ireland 2:29:233rdJanuary 29, 1984Katrin Dörre East Germany 2:31:414thJanuary 27, 1985Carey May (2) Ireland 2:28:075thJanuary 26, 1986Lorraine Moller New Zealand 2:30:246thJanuary 25, 1987Lorraine Moller (2) New Zealand 2:30:407thJanuary 31, 1988Lisa Ondieki Australia 2:23:518thJanuary 29, 1989Lorraine Moller (3) New Zealand 2:30:219thJanuary 28, 1990Rosa Mota Portugal 2:27:4710thJanuary 27, 1991Katrin Dörre (2) Germany 2:27:4311thJanuary 26, 1992Yumi Kokamo Japan 2:26:2612thJanuary 31, 1993Junko Asari Japan 2:26:2613thJanuary 30, 1994Tomoe Abe Japan 2:26:0914thJanuary 29, 1995Cancelled due to Great Hanshin earthquake15thJanuary 26, 1996Katrin Dörre-Heinig (3) Germany 2:26:0416thJanuary 26, 1997Katrin Dörre-Heinig (4) Germany 2:25:5717thJanuary 25, 1998Lidia Șimon Romania 2:28:3118thJanuary 31, 1999Lidia Șimon (2) Romania 2:23:2419thJanuary 30, 2000Lidia Șimon (3) Romania 2:22:5420thJanuary 28, 2001Yoko Shibui Japan 2:23:1121stJanuary 27, 2002Lornah Kiplagat Netherlands 2:23:5522ndJanuary 26, 2003Mizuki Noguchi Japan 2:21:1823rdJanuary 25, 2004Naoko Sakamoto Japan 2:25:2924thJanuary 30, 2005Jeļena Prokopčuka Latvia 2:22:5625thJanuary 29, 2006Catherine Ndereba Kenya 2:25:0526thJanuary 28, 2007Yumiko Hara Japan 2:23:4827thJanuary 27, 2008Mara Yamauchi United Kingdom 2:25:1028thJanuary 25, 2009Yoko Shibui (2) Japan 2:23:4229thJanuary 31, 2010Amane Gobena 2:25:1430thJanuary 30, 2011Yukiko Akaba2:26:2931stJanuary 29, 2012Risa Shigetomo2:23:2332ndJanuary 27, 2013Kayoko Fukushi*2:24:2133rdJanuary 26, 2014Yukiko Akaba* (2)2:26:0034thJanuary 25, 2015Jeļena Prokopčuka* (2)2:24:0735thJanuary 31, 2016Kayoko Fukushi (2)2:22:1736thJanuary 29, 2017Risa Shigetomo (2)2:24:2237thJanuary 28, 2018Mizuki Matsuda2:22:4438thJanuary 27, 2019Fatuma Sado2:25:3939thJanuary 26, 2020Mizuki Matsuda (2)2:21:4740thJanuary 31, 2021Mao Ichiyama2:21:1141stJanuary 30, 2022Mizuki Matsuda(3)2:20:5242ndJanuary 29, 2023Haven Hailu2:21:1343rdJanuary 28, 2024Workenesh Edesa2:18:5144thJanuary 26, 2025Workenesh Edesa (2)2:20:59
* Tetyana Hamera-Shmyrko was suspended by the Ukrainian Athletic Federation for four years from 30 September 2015 until 29 September 2019 due to doping rules violation. All her results from 26 August 2011 to 30 September 2015, including victories in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 editions of the Osaka International Ladies Marathon, were annulled.Рекордсменку Украины дисквалифицировали за допинг
Notes
1 2021 edition had male pacemakers including Yuki Kawauchi
References
List of winners Ota, Shigenobu & Larner, Brett (2009-12-27). Osaka International Women's Marathon. ARRS. Retrieved on 2010-01-31.
External links
Marathon info Statistical overview by Ken Nakamura (2011)