【Report】Para-Athletes

Marking its 5th milestone edition, the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon 2026 kicked off at 8:00 a.m. under crisp autumn skies with the Para-Athletes T53/T54 (wheelchair) race. The weather conditions were favorable, with a temperature of 20.1℃ and humidity at 48.0%.

In the men’s field, SUZUKI, Tomoki (Toyota Motor) won his fifth straight title in 42:28, just shy of his own 42:19 course record. With a smile, he reflected on the race, saying, “It was so much fun. Hearing non-stop cheers from runners on the opposite side of the course is something truly unique to the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon. I was able to race while feeling the incredible warmth of this event.”

SUZUKI took the lead right from the start, driving the pace throughout the entire race. Just past the 9km mark, he pulled away from the trailing pack and hustled to a resounding victory by more than two minutes. Sharing his strong sense of progress, he noted, “Although I couldn’t break the course record as I had hoped, I feel that the new things I’ve been trying this year are really starting to click, so I’m very satisfied with my run. I want to apply this experience to my upcoming marathons and ultimately secure a spot at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.”

KISHIZAWA, Hiroki (Hitachi Solutions), who placed third in the previous edition, claimed second with a time of 44:47. "I was hoping to challenge SUZUKI a bit more, but my time has definitely improved since last year, and I managed to stay neck-and-neck with him for a longer distance," he shared. "Training with SUZUKI more often lately has really helped me grow. I want to keep staying with him and sharpen my greatest strength, which is my top speed." HOKINOUE, Kota (LY Corporation) followed in third place with a time of 45:53.

In the women’s field, TSUCHIDA, Wakako (will raise) secured her third title and first victory in two years, finishing in 52:59. “Last year, I was overtaken right before the finish line and ended up in second. Feeling frustrated by that, I took a fresh look at my racing,” she recalled. “After a year of solid training, I came into this race wanting to challenge myself with everything I have right now. I could see positive signs in the areas I’ve been working on, like my starts and uphills,” she noted, expressing a clear sense of progress. Although she ran solo from the early stages, she reflected on how the support from the cheering spectators gave her strength, saying, “The spectators along the streets were so warm. This race reminded me once again just how much athletes are pushed forward when they hear their names called out during tough moments.”

NAKAMINE, Tsubasa (TESS Engineering), the defending champion, came in second with a time of 55:04, and TAKIMURA, Kazumi (ORACLE CORPORATION JAPAN) took third with a time of 1:03:16.

The Para-Athletes T11/T12 (visually impaired) race started at 8:05 a.m., taking off alongside runners in the elite and general categories. The weather was sunny, with a temperature of 20.1°C and humidity at 48.4%.

In the men's field, OISHI, Kosuke (ASICS) claimed his first victory with a time of 1:12:53, shaving about a minute and a half off his personal best. "I'm really glad I cleared my goal of breaking 73 minutes," he shared with a sense of fulfillment. OISHI has been on a strong upward trajectory, having also improved his personal best by over two minutes last year. When asked about the reason for his progress, he explained, "Since changing my affiliation as an employed athlete this past January, my training volume has increased." Looking firmly ahead, he added, "My focus for this race was my time rather than my placement, but winning is a valuable experience. I want to carry this result into my winter marathons and keep training hard to earn a spot at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games."

KATSUMARU, Masashi (AC・KITA) came in second with a time of 1:24:29, and TAKAHASHI, Yuichi (Japan Blind Marathon Association) followed in third with a time of 1:42:31.

In the women's field, MICHISHITA, Misato (Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance), making her first appearance in two years, claimed her third victory with a time of 1:28:27. Although MICHISHITA typically runs with her regular guide, an unexpected issue forced a sudden change, and she teamed up at the last minute with guide runner NAKAMURA, Shintaro (Juntendo University) for their first race together. Expressing her gratitude, she said, "He guided me so well through the crowded sections, and we were able to put together a great race." NAKAMURA also reflected, "I was nervous at first, but as the course opened up in the second half, our tempos synced perfectly. Being able to run relaxed really contributed to this result." Speaking about the impressive growth of her younger peers, MICHISHITA emphasized, "I hope we can get stronger together so that we can stand side-by-side on the starting line at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games."

MICHISHITA, who set the then-world record for the T12 class (1:24:48) at this very event in 2023, shared her takeaways from the race and her plan for her upcoming winter marathons. "The plan was to tick off a steady pace of 4 minutes and 15 seconds per kilometer. I was even able to build up my pace toward the end, making this a race that strongly connects to my next steps," she noted with a sense of progress. She also spoke about the impressive growth of her younger peers, adding, "I hope we can get stronger together so that we can stand side-by-side on the starting line at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games."

Coming in second was WAKI, Manami (IMV), who marked a new personal best of 1:30:11 with an aggressive run that even saw her temporarily pull ahead of MICHISHITA in the first half. "I've always had speed, but I used to stall out in the second half," she explained. "Recently, I’ve incorporated a lot more distance-building workouts, like 150-minute jogs, which I think led to this new personal best. I still lack experience, but I want to keep facing my mental challenges and continue working hard to aim for a spot at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games."

NISHIMURA, Chika (Japan Blind Marathon Association) finished third with a time of 1:37:14.

SOEJIMA, Masazumi, the Wheelchair Race Director, summarized the para-athlete races, saying, “I am glad that the races concluded safely without any major trouble under favorable weather conditions.” He then commented on each category, noting, “In the men’s wheelchair race, it was a bit disappointing that SUZUKI fell just short of a new course record as hoped, but the race truly showcased his sheer strength. In the women’s wheelchair race, TSUCHIDA ran solo all the way to the finish, and watching that highlighted the strength and poise of a seasoned veteran. For the men’s visually impaired class, I believe OISHI’s first victory will serve as tremendous motivation going forward. In the women’s field, dealing with a sudden change of guide must have been quite difficult for MICHISHITA, but she delivered a remarkably steady run that demonstrated her exceptional technique.”
In addition to the wheelchair and visually impaired divisions, many para-athletes successfully crossed the finish line, including those with intellectual impairments and lower limb impairments. Calling on more para-athletes to take on the challenge, SOEJIMA shared his hope, saying, “We want to continue broadening the base of para sports moving forward.”