Many runners and spectators who have been following the sport for some time may remember the grueling weather conditions of the 2018 Boston Marathon, in which relentless rains, stiff headwinds, and freezing conditions tested even the hardiest runners.
Rising to the top in the most difficult race conditions was 30-year-old Japanese runner Yuki Kawauchi, who more than earned the title of the 2018 Boston Marathon Champion.
Yuki Kawauchi wins the Boston Marathon! #BostonMarathon pic.twitter.com/fc6TWWyuGF
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) April 16, 2018
Yuki Kawauchi took the lead from defending champion Geoffrey Kirui in the final mile of the race, crossing the finish line in 2:15:54.
While this wasn’t Yuki Kawauchi’s fastest marathon at that point, it was his first major marathon victory. (His fastest marathon time is 2:07:27, which he ran at the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon.)
He was not yet even a professional runner; it wasn’t until 2019 that Yuki Kawauchi finally went pro.
Although his 2018 Boston Marathon victory is Yuki Kawauchi’s only major marathon victory, Kawauchi has now run all six Abbott World Major Marathons, earning his World Major Marathons Six Star Finisher Medal by completing the 2023 London Marathon.
This coveted accolade is only held by a select minority of runners, and requires completing the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Tokyo Marathon, and London Marathon.
But, while becoming a Six-Star Finisher Medal earner is certainly a huge accomplishment and shows dedication and consistency in the sport of marathon running, those six marathons are only the tip of the iceberg in Yuki Kawauchi’s marathon running career.
The most impressive result on Yuki Kawauchi’s running resume is not an individual championship or race result, but rather the composite.
In fact, at the 2023 London Marathon, the 36-year-old runner broke his own Guinness World Record for the most marathons run under 2:20.
His last ratified record stood at 104 sub-2:20 marathons, and with his 2:15:54 finish time at the London Marathon, Kawauchi now has at least 105 finish times that are under 2 hours and 20 minutes.
We call Kawauchi the King of Marathon Consistency, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for him next.
Curious to learn how many people have run a marathon? Check out our guide here.
