Gaku Hoshi Selected to Represent Japan in the Men’s Marathon at the World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022

Tokyo (April 7, 2022) – Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce that Gaku Hoshi, a member of the Konica Minolta Track & Field Club, was selected to represent Japan in the men’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022.

Hoshi won the combined 10th Osaka Marathon and 77th Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon with a time of 2:07:31, on February 27 and was named to the Japanese national marathon team to compete in the World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022. Hoshi is the first member of the Konica Minolta Track & Field Club to be given a place in a Japanese national marathon team. It is also the first time in nine years that a member of the Club has been selected to represent Japan in the World Athletics Championships, following Tsuyoshi Ugachi who competed in the 10,000m in Moscow in 2013 and now serves as a coach of the Club.

Hoshi said, “I am honored to be selected as a member of the Japanese marathon team to compete in the World Athletics Championships. This is the first time for me to represent Japan in an international race. I am very happy and deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me. As there is not much time left before the race, I will concentrate on training so that I can give my best performance. Thank you for your support and encouragement.”

Katsumi Sakai, the head coach of the Konica Minolta Track & Field Club, said, “First I would like to congratulate him on being named to the Japanese national team for the World Athletics Championships. We have always focused on training with a view to the ‘world’ and I am glad that our daily efforts have taken us to the starting line. I will be supporting him to ensure he competes in the Championships in his best condition.”

Gaku Hoshi’s Profile
Born September 17, 1998 in Miyagi Prefecture. After graduating from Meisei High School, he entered Teikyo University. His personal best times are:
5,000m:　　　 14:04.23
10,000m: 　　 28:14.12
Half marathon: 1:02:20
Full marathon: 2:07:31

World Athletics Championships, Oregon 2022
Dates: July 15 to 24, 2022
Host city: City of Eugene, Oregon, U.S.A.