Hiroaki Chosa (JPN) receives IAAF Silver Order of Merit from President Diack

Athens, Greece – There can barely be a person on the planet unaware of the latter day explosion of interest in marathons or other long distance races. Thirty years after the fun-running boom took off in earnest there has been a new wave of marathon mania, resulting in new marathons being launched or upgraded, and vastly increased numbers applying for places in established marathons.

Your scribe has seen evidence of the above this year alone, in events as diverse and far-flung as the Sahara Marathon, run through the Sahrawi refugee camps in Western Algeria, to the forthcoming Marathon Singapore, which will welcome 60,000 runners in three races(and three separate starts), in the city-state on 5 December.

This weekend has seen the consecration of the whole spirit of this movement, with the Athens Classic Marathon celebrating the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon, news of whose victory was delivered from Marathon to Athens, according to the legend, by Pheidippides.

Leading up to Sunday’s (31) marathon on the inaugural 1896 course, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) used the occasion for their 18th World Congress, and concurrent fourth AIMS-IAAF Marathon Symposium.

The now traditional lighting of the Marathon Flame, at the burial mound of the fallen from the Battle in 490BCE was followed by another special ceremony, in Marathon itself, where IAAF President Lamine Diack presented the IAAF Silver Award of Merit to outgoing AIMS President Hiraoki Chosa of Japan.

Now in his 80th year, former middle distance runner Chosa has guided AIMS through almost two decades, a time of unprecedented growth in AIMS membership. The Association, which began in 1982 with 28 members has grown to represent 303 currently, and at his farewell address, Chosa predicted that by 2015, he estimated that there would be 500 members.

Long time member himself of several IAAF and Japanese federation (JAAF) committees and commissions, including his present position as a member of the IAAF Road Running Commission, Chosa has had a recent hands-on experience of the popular influx to long distance running.

The Tokyo Marathon, once an elite-only race, opened its entry last year to the whole population. As President of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, Chosa was proud to announce this week that entries for 35,000 places in next year’s race exceeded 335,000.

Receiving his award from President Diack this afternoon (30), Chosa pointed out that donator and recipient shared a birth date, June 7.

Chosa said (through his long-time interpreter, Yutaka Sasai), “Ten thousand words cannot express my surprise and pleasure at receiving this award from President Diack.”

“It will be the first thing I see when I wake every morning. I’ve always refused this type of award from the Japanese government, and now I have this award, I can continue to refuse.”

Pat Butcher for the IAAF

Mr. Hiroaki CHOSA
DOB June 7, 1930
 
1975-1989 Professor, Juntendo University
 
Medal of Honour
1987 Medal with Purple Ribbon
 
Athletics Career
1953 National Champion of 800m & 1500m
1955 National Champion of 1500m
1956-1975 Head Coach, Athletics Team of Juntendo University
 
at IAAF
1984-2007 Member, Cross Country & Road Running Committee
2007- now Member, Road Running Commission
 
at AIMS
1993-now President
 
at JAAF
1969-1978 Board Member & Chairperson, High Performance Committee
1979-1993 Senior Managing Director
1993-1995 Vice President & Senior Managing Director
1997-2005 Vice President
2005-now  Honorary Vice President
 
for Marathon
1979-now Race Director, Fukuoka International Marathon Championship (IAAF Silver Label Race)
2010-       President, Tokyo Marathon Foundation (IAAF Gold Label Race)
 
at Japan Amateur Sports Association(JASA)
1979-1991 Board Member
1991-1999 Managing Director
1999-2000 Vice President

at Japanese Olympic Committee(JOC)
1989-1993 Board Member
 
for Japanese National Team
1976 Chief Manager, Athletics Team for the Montreal Olympics
1985 Chef de Mission, Japanese Delegation for the Kobe World Student Games
1988 Deputy Chef de Mission, Japanese Delegation for the Seoul Olympics
 
for IAAF Competitions
1991 Competition General Manager, LOC of the IAAF Tokyo 1991
1999 LOC Member, the IAAF WIC Maebashi 1999
2006 General Secretary, LOC of the IAAF WXC Fukuoka 2006
2007 Vice President & Executive Committee Chairperson, LOC of the IAAF Osaka 2007