Suguru Osako Japanese long distance runner Date of Birth: 23.05.1991 Country: Japan

1. Early Life and Career
2. University Success and International Breakthrough
3. National Success and Record-Breaking
4. International Recognition

Early Life and Career

Yuya Oosako was born in Machida, Tokyo, Japan, and attended Saku Chousei High School. In 2010, he began to make his mark on the national level. He was the fastest leg of the senior high school division at the Japan Ekiden Championships and finished second in the junior race at the Chiba Cross Country. This earned him a spot on Japan's junior team for the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he finished 32nd. On the track that year, he set a personal best of 28:35.75 minutes in Tokyo and then finished eighth at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics.

University Success and International Breakthrough

After graduating from high school, Oosako enrolled at Waseda University in late 2010. In November, he ran a half marathon in Ageo City and set a Japanese and Asian junior record of 1:01:47 hours to win the race. In 2011, he ran a 5000 meters personal best of 13:31.27 minutes and finished second in the 10,000 meters at the Hyogo Relays. Oosako was selected to represent his country at the 2011 Summer Universiade, where he defeated Stephen Mokoka in the 10,000 meters to claim the gold medal, becoming the first Japanese man since Yasuyuki Watanabe to win the title.

National Success and Record-Breaking

In the 2012 season, he was the top Japanese finisher in the Chiba Cross Country (fourth overall) and won the Fukuoka Cross Country by a narrow margin over Yuki Sato. Oosako continued to improve his track bests in 2012, running 3:42.68 minutes for 1500 meters, 7:54.68 minutes for 3000 meters, and 27:56.94 minutes for 10,000 meters. He finished second to Charles Ndirungu at the 2013 Fukuoka Cross Country.

International Recognition

In 2018, Oosako finished third at the Chicago Marathon, setting a national record of 2:05:50 hours and earning 100 million yen. He finished fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon, breaking his own national record with a time of 2:05:29. He was previously a member of the Nike Oregon Project.