Shizo Kanakuri was not a slow runner.
Yet, on race day, he could barely compete and dropped out before he reached the half-way mark.
Embarrassed at his failure, Shizo Kanakuri never showed up.
It would be decades before he was formally allowed to finish the race.
Shizo Kanakuri competes in the men’s marathon race during the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium.
Shizo Kanakuri was one of only two Japanese athletes to compete in the Stockholm Olympics.
Sports were not highly valued in Japan at the time.
The government did not cover athletics' travel costs.
The trip to Sweden took 18 days, first by ship and then by the Trans-Siberian Railway.
At stations, whenever the train stopped, Kanakuri would jump for a quick workout before hurriedly reboarding.
On the day of the race, the heat was scorching.
Of the 68 participants, only 34 would reach the finish line.
One Portuguese runner was hospitalized and died the next day, the first reported death during an Olympics.
The family fed him raspberry juice, fruits and cinnamon rolls and gave him a couch to rest.
Kanakuri lied down and against his better judgement fell asleep.
When he woke up, it was next morning.
Kanakuri was deeply disappointed and ashamed of his actions.
He wrote in his journal the next day: Its the morning after my defeat.
My heart is aching with regret for the rest of my life.
It was the most significant day of my life.
If people want to laugh, laugh.
I showed the lack of physical strength Japanese people have and their immature skills.
I cant fulfill this burden but dying is easy, and living is hard.
Kanakuri did not notify the race officials, and quietly returned to Japan.
He shared his experiences with other young people and urged them to begin long-distance running.
In addition, he started recruiting and training female athletes.
He also taught blind kids how to run by having them grab onto a thread.
Kanakuri continued to represent Japan in the Olympics.
Kanakuri also participated in the 1924 Summer Olympics, but failed to finish the race.
Shizo Kanakuri runs into the finish line in 1967.
They held a ceremony, which was covered heavily in the Swedish media.
Along the way, I got married, had six children and 10 grandchildren.
