Until the Tokyo Women's Marathon This Fall
She was the best and the number one marathon runner with the gold medal in the Sydney Olympic games in 2000 and the then world record in 2001.
Yes, she was the only Japanese female gold medalist in track and field in Olympic Games. And she was the first female runner in the history who could break the 2-hour, 20-minute time barrier.
Paula Radcliffe, Catherine Ndereba, and Mizuki Noguchi came all after Naoko Takahashi.
Naoko failed to be qualified for entry to 2004 Athens Olympic Games, since she had crossed the finish line in the 2003 Tokyo Female’s Marathon next to the winner Elfenesh Alemu who eventually became the fourth in Athens. It was apparent that Naoko had failed to manage the race, resulting in very common record. So, Japan Association of Athletics Federations chose not to send Naoko to Athens.
However, the gold medal of Female’s Marathon in Athens 2004 was won by another Japanese runner, Mizuki Noguchi who later set the world’s third fastest record, next to that of Paula and Catherine.
Naoko’s bad luck continued with physical injuries, minor but critical for a race, as well as some management problems until the Tokyo Women's Marathon in the fall of 2005. She has won this race, risking her career as an athlete, conquering another minor physical injury, putting on a good spurt and leaving Elfenesh this time well behind.
Put simply, we saw deplorable commercialism rampaging around her during her glorious days. We were afraid that too much commercialism might spoil the good-natured female runner. Moreover, it is said that there had been a plan to have her run for national election some time.
It is still unknown, of course, who will win this competition in Beijin in 2008. Africans are superb, Europeans are excellent, but Japanese girls have at least won the gold medals in last two consecutive competitions, each in Sydney and Athens.