Kōkichi Tsuburaya
 Kōkichi Tsuburaya at the 1964 Olympics | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Japanese | |||||||||||
| Born | May 13, 1940[1] | |||||||||||
| Died | January 9, 1968 (aged 27) | |||||||||||
| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||
| Weight | 54 kg (119 lb) | |||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||
| Sport | Long-distance running | |||||||||||
Events | 10,000 meters, marathon | |||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||
| Personal bests | 10,000 meters: 28:52.6[2] Marathon: 2:16:23[2] | |||||||||||
Medal record
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Kōkichi Tsuburaya (円谷 幸吉, Tsuburaya Kōkichi) (born Kokichi Tsumuraya (円谷 幸吉, Tsumuraya Kōkichi); May 13, 1940 – January 9, 1968) was a Japanese athlete who competed mainly as a marathoner. Kokichi was also a 1st lieutenant in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
Running career
[edit]Tsuburaya competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, finishing sixth in the 10,000m event and lining up for the marathon as well, on the final day of competition. Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the race decisively, becoming the first man to defend his Olympic title in the event, having won in Rome in 1960, running barefoot. Tsuburaya entered the stadium second, but was overtaken on the final lap by the furious sprint of Britain's Basil Heatley and finished third, earning the bronze medal. Tsuburaya was mortified by the loss to Heatley, saying to fellow marathoner Kenji Kimihara, "I committed an inexcusable blunder in front of the Japanese people. I have to make amends by running and hoisting the Hinomaru in the next Olympics, in Mexico".[3]
Shortly after the Tokyo Olympics, Tsuburaya suffered from an ongoing back problem, known as lumbago.
Death
[edit]Tsuburaya killed himself on January 9, 1968.[4][5][6] His body was found in the dormitory room where he was staying while training for the Mexico City Olympics.[7] He was holding on to his bronze medal.[7]
References
[edit]
- ↑ Kokichi Tsuburaya. sports-reference.com
- 1 2 All-Athletics. "Profile of Kokichi Tsuburaya". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-03.
- ↑ Whiting, Robert, "Schollander, Hayes were spectacular at Tokyo Games", The Japan Times, 18 October 2014, p. 13
- ↑ Belson, Ken (July 18, 2021), "Elegy for a Heartbroken Medalist", The New York Times
- ↑ Tomizawa, Roy. "The Triumphant Tragedy of Marathoner Kokichi Tsuburaya Part 4: A Suicide Note that Captures an Essence of the Japanese, and Endures as Literature". The Olympians. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ↑ Knych, John (10 July 2017). "The Tragic Death of a Japanese Olympian". J.W. Kash. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- 1 2 Larimer, Tim (October 2, 2000). "The Agony of Defeat". TIME Asia. Archived from the original on January 25, 2001. Retrieved 21 April 2009.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
- 1940 births
- 1968 suicides
- 1968 deaths
- Athletes from Fukushima Prefecture
- 20th-century Japanese sportsmen
- Military personnel from Fukushima Prefecture
- Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel
- Japanese men long-distance runners
- Japanese men marathon runners
- Olympic men long-distance runners
- Olympic men marathon runners
- Olympic athletes for Japan
- Olympic bronze medalists for Japan
- Olympic bronze medalists in athletics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics
- Japan Championships in Athletics winners
- Japanese military personnel who died by suicide
- Suicides by sharp instrument in Japan
- People from Sukagawa