Wakako Tsuchida

Wakako Tsuchida (front) during the 2014 London Marathon

Wakako Tsuchida ( Japanese 土 田 和 歌子 , Tsuchida Wakako ; born October 15, 1974 in Tokyo Prefecture ) is a Japanese disabled athlete .

Tsuchida, who lives in Tokyo , lost her legs in a road traffic accident when she was 17 years old.

She is a successful participant in wheelchair marathon competitions and achieved several top placements. In 1999 and 2001 to 2003 she won the Oita marathon . In 2002 she finished the Boston Marathon third behind Edith Hunkeler and Christina Ripp . In 2003 she came in fourth place. In 2007 she managed to win the Boston Marathon for the first time. She was able to defend her title in the following years, setting a new course record in her fifth victory in 2011 with a time of 1:34:06. She won the Honolulu Marathon in 2003 and 2005. In 2010 she won the London Marathon .

Furthermore, Tsuchida took part in the Paralympic Games several times . At the 1998 Paralympic Winter Games in Nagano , she won two gold medals in the ice sled race, one each at 1000 and 1500 meters. In 2000 in Sydney she won a bronze medal in the marathon with a time of 1:50:10. Four years later in Athens , Tsuchida achieved a time of 1:50:13 in the marathon , winning silver. Also in Athens, she was first in the 5000 meter wheelchair race and was the first Japanese female athlete to win gold at both the Paralympic summer and winter games. 2008 in Beijing Tsuchida was unable to repeat their former success. The reason for this was a collision shortly before the finish line in the 5000 meter wheelchair race, which meant that she had to end her participation in the games.

Web links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Short biography (Boston Marathon 2009)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Mark Pratt: Wheelchair Champs Soejima, Tsuchida Win It For Japan. In: CBS Boston. April 18, 2011, accessed May 6, 2011 . 
2. ^ Joe Battaglia: Tragedy in Japan inspires Tsuchida in Boston. In: Universal Sports. April 16, 2011, accessed May 6, 2011 .