Clareto Monsorate, Dubai

Naoko Takahashi generously donated her winning ‘gold bib’ of the 2,000 Sydney Olympics to the Japan Land Association’s World Athletics Heritage Collection with the hope that interest in marathons will increase.

Takahashi, the first woman to run a marathon in under two hours 20 minutes, clocked an Olympic marathon record of 2:23:14 on September 24, 2000 to win at the Sydney Olympic Games. It was the first Olympic victory at the marathon by a Japanese woman and her Games record was not broken until 2012.

“I am happy to see my Sydney bib join the Heritage collection,” said Takahashi. “I would like the bib’s donation to help increase interest in the marathon, and the challenge and beauty of distance running. It might also help motivate more people to take up running for fitness and fun, or perhaps even competitively, picturing themselves in my shoes,” said the 48-year-old long distance runner.

A 1,000-km road relay took place connecting Tokyo and cities in the Tohoku region that were hit by the 2011 deadly earthquake and tsunami.

The “Road to Tomorrow” relay was held in support of the recovery efforts in areas devastated by the disaster.

“I want to keep cheering for people in disaster-hit areas,” said Takahashi.