More I find out about this guy more amazed I am. 76 marathon completed(under 2:20). True to amateur spirit, he's got a day time job. He doesn't belong to any corporate sponsored team, I guess that means he finances himself. Folks, we are looking at marathon version of Rocky Balboa.
In cycling Rigoberto Uran Uran kind of did the same thing at some point, he was part of a cycling race with no sponsorship and yet end up in third place I think. People like this are inspirational, they just let their actions talk for them.
@@guzvier you mean that they should think that obviously a medium high level athlete would win against the best? Its like saying a junior can win against lebron 1v1 on basketball, yes kawauchi is a good runner but he is nit close to the african runners, on that day was a special ocasion he was lucky, but at the same time prepared, in fact more prepared than anyone since he got 1st, hes a legend by hes feat, but he is not bether than other runners in a normal race, but that day he was, witch for anyone that knows about running is a absurd achievement because the african runners are such a hard wall to fight they are the best of the best by a long margin
🤣🤣🤣 oh man, for sure! I mean the disrespect and ignorance at the beginning of the race! I’m glad they changed reír minds after learning the guy was for real
It's absolutely beautiful how the commentators, who laughed and joked about Yuki's "crazy" move at the start, had to swallow their own words in the end. Respect, gents.
From Japan, to all Kawauchi's fans around the world. On December 20, 2020, he finally achieved his 100th "under2:20" and it was recognized by Guinness World Records. Here are his comments. I've been able to break 2:20 100 times because I've stayed healthy, continued to compete for a long time, and participated in competitions. I'm not the fastest or strongest in Japan, but I think the fact that I've been running steadily since I was 6 years old led to this record. Reaching 100 times is my marathon life. He is now 33 years old. In fact, he had been in a slump since the 2018 Boston Marathon.But he achieved the 101th "under2:20" on February 28, 2021 in 2 hours 7 minutes 27 seconds. This surpassed his personal best recorded eight years ago by 47 seconds. I'm not good at English, but I'm so impressed with his never-give-up soul running that I'm leaving a comment here.
Yuki wasn't chasing the win. He was chasing his under-2:20 streak. He wasn't going to let the weather slow him down. That's why he persisted and won. Very inspiring indeed...
He won, they lose. And they should start selling pianos as an alternative job, coz they sure don't know what they're doing as commentators. They murdered his name as well.👎🤦♂️
Disrespecting him at the begging fking up his name, laughing at him, “I think he just wants to be on tv”. Half way all the sudden he’s your buddy. At the end starts talking about his past accomplishments like he was there watching it. I love it.
@@guccithunder6136 They were laughing at how absurdly fast he was running at the start. That is very different from laughing at someone in a demeaning manner. Is English not your first langauge?
The real reason they didn’t show Yuki passing Kurui in the last 6 minutes of the race was because they didn’t want you to see him handing the piano off to him.
Weird Worldwide in the marathon elite hes well known as the citizen runner He runs 10-12 top level marathons every year Im about to run marathon number 12 in 2 weeks time I ran melb marathon years ago when this guy ran it and he finished on the podium He is a legend
@@bab1374 yes, and the guy who made the piano comment even said he spent time in Japan with the military! What the heck did he learn while there? He can't even pronounce a Japanese name, when these are the easiest Asian names to pronounce!
You guys are so full of shit. You make fun of the commentator but don't even know who HE is. That's Larry Rawson, practically a legend in track and marathon commentating. He's won an Emmy and has been covering the sport since the 1980s. You pretend you know so much but can't even identify the people who have been around for decades. He has the Penn Relays Lifetime Achievement award and has covered all of the majors. Poseurs.
Kawauchi freewheels the downhills and coasts on the flats. It's not the worst strategy if his legs can take the pounding. What is more remarkable about him is the mental resilience required to run a dozen fast marathons every year. That is truly remarkable.
Completely agree. Apparently our nervous system consumes more glucose than most other parts of our body when it's under stress from something like self-control. Given how many marathons Kawauchi runs in a year, his self-control apparatus is obviously more honed than other runners and it was on clear display here.
It was just in the news here in Japan that Kawauchi will leave his full time job as of March 31, 2019 and turn professional from April. March 31st is the end of the fiscal year of many companies and government offices in Japan. He waited until this time to quit and I think this shows a lot about his character and the respect he has for others. Go Kawauchi!
Oh, wow, how cool. Thanks for sharing. I wonder what that will mean for his times considering how well he's able to perform without devoting to it full time.
@@rosscalais1662 Yes, he will have all the time he needs and I wonder what his training menu will be like. Also, we just heard yesterday that Kawauchi is getting married. His fiancee just retired from running marathons. Anyway, Kawauchi was under so much pressure working and running. His brother who is also an athlete turned pro. Kawauchi did not want to be representing Japan when he was not putting everything into it. For now, he seems like he really wants to be qualified for the Doha World Athletic Championships . Men's marathon will be held on October 5th, 2019. He can also participate in a race on September 15th which is an important race to qualify for the Olympics as well. I personally think he wants to do very well in Doha, which might qualify him for the Olympics with his impressive Boston win. I hope he does well and get through without any injuries.
@@chubbieminami3274 This is such great insight, it's really neat that you're sharing. It would mean little to him I'm sure but after watching him run during Boston I learned to like running just a little bit more. I can safely say it's what started me on my recent training spree. I'm confident he has the strength to complete whatever his goal is and I look forward to seeing him run again.
2:45 "haha funny japanese who want to be on camera." 3:15 : He is too fast, he will stop" 4:17 Laugh again 5:14 Laugh again 6:52 Laugh again 14:14 "wow" 20:39 "unbelievable"
So when someone does something that seems completely crazy unauthorodox in a race and the comintaor points it out and later corrects himself and gives the man props. You still call him a fool? Welcome to 2018. Where people have ZERO love or compassion for each other.
The commentators were actually right , it was way to fast, he was going at 2.01 pace which would be a world record by a long way so technically someone did hand him a piano because he did slow dow, regardless of him winning. And they even went on to say themselves that they were wrong for making the mistakes. Have some compassion
@@CaptainBvi They didn't merely point it out, they ridiculed him and didn't even take him seriously. The weather surely wasn't normal and if they'd done their research they would've known Kawauchi thrives in these conditions. The commentators acted as fools.
@@CaptainBvi . They are supposed to be professionals. There is no need to talk shit and show their racist colors. Yuki wasn't doing anything out of line to being with.
@@albertoaguilar9773 Come on, that's hyperbole. There are dozens of great marathon performances in history. This isn't even in the top 20. And Kawauchi is a great runner. De castella among others had great performances in the 80s. And there are many many more by others throughout history. This is a great performance, but to say its one of the best ever is a joke. And it ignores actual marathon history.
He opened up with a 4:37 1st mile someone handled him a piano after 5k He made several very fast surges under horrible conditions heavy rain and very windy and still won lol Amazing race... Clearly he was the strongest runner that day and by far.
I like how the commentators disregard Kawauchi saying that he would fade after 5 to 10k and yet he’s still in the lead after 13 miles. Dude got a sub 2h09 marathon without even training professionally. He would be in the wold best if he was focusing full Time to running
I'll never forget watching this race. It was a day after my first marathon and I couldn't walk so I sat on my sofa to watch this. I sat and listened to these commentators make fun of Kawauchi. An hour later they were singing a different tune :)
They had Kawauchi so written off that they missed the key moment when he passed Kirui to take the lead for the last time and win. Even with him in contention for 23 miles that wasn't enough to take him seriously! What a joke.
They had to switch to the women's for the completion of their race. Still, seeing his pull just prior when he was less than 30 seconds behind, HOW could the broadcast team not have recorded the overtake to show on replay. Just mind-boggling.
@@yourmindisyours1731 I don’t think they’re laughing at him just at how absurd the whole situation is. By halfway through they’re all elite level and this guy is still stupidly fast
I thought the "someone is going to hand him a piano" comment was great, because I think it added to Kawauchi's underdog status and his ability to prove everyone wrong, including myself.
@@rfresa That it does, and they where actually correct. Not sure why people in the comments are so upset at the commentators in the comments (he was running close to the world record pace in the weather seen here which was to fast and likely cost him time). He just didn't tire by as much as you would usually expect, but he did have to slow down notably all the same. Really impressive run.
I think to handle Kawauchi as an underdog in this ridiculous fashion like the commentators did, is only possible in "Whoever wins our sports events is the world champion" US of A
I think people think the commentators can just explain that running like this will make him tired. So people are upset that the commentators choose to make a joke out of it instead of just explaining because it looks like they demean him.
It's a pity that nobody saw when Kirui was passed by Kawauchi even if Linden arrived at the same time.It must be "the worst mistake" of on-the-spot broadcasting!
This gentleman belongs on Mt. Olympus! The man is heroic. The newscaster is like "Any man that starts a race in these conditions with a mile that fast is going to be carrying a piano." Why do I get the feeling this guy lives to run in blizzards? I am now a fan. Long live the spirit of Kawauchi!
With so many corporate sponsored team runners that race for prize money and endorsement deals these days, it's easy to forget that the purpose of sport is to test the limits of the human spirit. It's an incredible feeling to be reminded.
I ran Boston in 2019 for the first time, but watched this on TV and was almost thankful I didnt qualify for 2018. I watch this clip anytime the weather is crappy and I don't feel like running. It's a real inspiration for me because the Boston course is hard without a weather factor. It just goes to show how tough marathoners are as a group.
Kawauchi has marathon running in his blood. This dude runs for the pure joy of it. He is perhaps the greatest marathon runner of all time. I certainly doubt that even Kipchoge could equal Kawauchi sheer volume of sub 220 marathons, let alone run at an insane pace to start the race in the most insane, cold, and windy conditions possible. Kipchoge would probably drop out from hypothermia. Incredible.
A really great idea; you've got a great point! What defines the 'greatest' of anything? Olympic medals? World championships? Biggest sponsorship? Fastest time? Most popular? Longest career? People will never agree on how to define 'the greatest' of anything (and that's OK!) I definitely think you're on to something here. Sure, Kawauchi's fastest time (as of is "only" 2:07:27 😁 and Kipchoge has the world record of 2:01:39 and of course the sub 2-hour special event. You could definitely say Kipchoge is the best marathoner ever, especially now that he won Gold again in Tokyo 2020 (2021). But, Kawauchi seems to be very, very, very brave. My guess, if Kipchoge HAD been at this marathon, given the terrible weather and the less-than-ideal elevation profile, it would have been a very close race (at least for the first ~20 miles)! Maybe Kipchoge drops out due to weather, maybe it's a neck-and-neck race between the two of them and it comes down to the very slight running form, efficiency and top-end speed advantage Kipchoge likely has; who really knows? This is the type of race where many of the top Pros would have chosen to not start due to the freezing wind chill and torrential downpour, and this guy goes and runs it in a fantastic time.
I watch this video about 3-4 times per year. I enjoy it every time. The commentators were dismissive of him early, but I don’t think they were overly disrespectful … kawauchis run was absurd vs the weather and the perceived best practices of Boston marathon strategy. They certainly didn’t know who he was, and had to learn about him as the race went on. All fair. It’s a great study on all fronts. Congrats Yuchi
Miss pronouncing Yuki’s last name initially , the Australian announcer continuing to Miss pronounce his name throughout he race, not knowing who he was until midway through the race. Very disrespectful. This man might be the greatest marathoner in history.
So even with the fact that this guy has a record of 72 marathons under 2:20, and several under 2:09 the commentators STILL thought he would fail miserably???
In a race against people who've run 2:04's, yes unfortunately he was overlooked. And he's run 3 under 2:09, which isn't nothing, but there's a reason he wasn't on people's radar and it isn't because of ignorance. With cleaner weather conditions this video never gets made.
@@rosscalais1662 That would just mean he would be likely in the top 10. The commentators literally expected him to fall WAY behind that. The actually said "fail miserably." This is just blatant bias.
@@scifigrl23 I'm okay with assuming there's a bias but from where I see it it was a bias towards more elite runners not something racial, which a lot of comments imply.
The best marathon I've ever seen for both male and female finishers. What a moment for Japan. I've watched nearly every one since the 80s having grown up on the course.
The conditions really suited him I guess. In my opinion he knows how to race better than everyone else. Might not even need a watch anymore. He knew its going to be tough and was way in his pase, so he went fast bringing everyone else on his pase. Hes a tactical wonder in my opinion. What a genius
Talk about underestimating: @6:45 commentator said: "Right now the winner will come from this group of 8". At that moment Yuki Kawauchi was at 9th position probably just 0.5m apart from 8th position.
You're not wrong. It's easy for us to lookback now and see how silly they were but at the time they were obviously going off of the sheet of paper in front of them that showed the fastest times for each runner and Yuki would've been further down that list. It's a good example of how "on paper" doesn't always translate well to on the road.
@@rosscalais1662 Well there were 9 of them in that group, separated by less than 0.5m from one another, strangely only the 1st 8 were considered had chance of winning.
This is what I have always loved about running long distances. Style points, size, none of that matters it's what you have inside and nobody can take it away from you.
This is the kind of heroism they write about in ancient text. People move great lengths in impossible conditions just in time to face an army of enemies and still have the stamina to defeat them. Many people write these stories off as myths but we now know Yuki is a legend.
It’s very fitting that the name Yuki, could mean “bravery” in Japanese. He was seriously a true hero to all people. I ran my first marathon this year, and watching this video makes me wanna compete again next year!
His name means "gentle radiance"優輝 vs 勇気 which is courage. (similar pronunciation which depends on pitch accent, completely different kanji and meaning.
Almost willing to bet there won't be another Boston Marathon like this one in 100 years. Yuki, who was nowhere near the favorite, starting out fast, trailing by 1:30 to Kirui and then coming back and winning the race. Same with Linden, American woman winning the BM and also in comeback fashion.
the announcers made fun of Kawauchi at the start and made stupid predictions😆 they had to apologize later on, they clearly underestimated him because he was Japanese and unknown
"Kawa-u-chi" you clowns. Not "Kawachi". The man is a flipping legend. Why does it matter so little to you to say his name correctly. Every time you get it wrong it's a fingernails on the blackboard moment.
He had to run fast to keep warm, and he played the field like he was fingering a sonata on a piano. Like Meb, they didn’t think he could hold on, but they should have respected his 2:08 and his incredible experience. This is why Boston is awesome.
Lot of hate for the commentators in the comments, but I think that just makes the story so much better. They were a little dismissive at first sure, but Yuki was running an insane pace, they just didn’t realize what his strategy was.
The commentators were brutal and ignorant in the beginning; credit to one who actually apologized. Yuki was amazing, The commentators gave him zero credit throughout the race. After decades, we still have not learn the lesson of judging by mere appearance.
You're right and they were very dismissive in the beginning but I really have trouble faulting them considering there were 10 or so runners with significantly faster PRs then Yuki. Where the commentators went wrong was assuming this was going to be a normal race, they had no idea how tough Yuki runs and how accustomed he is to brutal weather. If not for the weather conditions then we never get this video so I think we owe one to the wind and rain.
I understand that in their professional eyes what Kawaguchi did is normally end up make runner tired halfway so they didn't think he will win. Still not justify they continously making fun of him though. Like, why? Why would they do that?
Pretty hard to believe that they missed the moment when Kawauchi passed Kirui. Epic fail by everyone involved in the broadcast. Couldn't even say his name correctly. Embarrassing.
(Re) watching spring 2023, this year Yuki had another great Osaka showing. Got his elite entry rescinded for London where he came 11th a little over 1:10. Then won the bmo vancouver marathon. I think all inside 6 or 7 weeks. As these guys end up saying, he is a miracle of recovery
What a run! Just pure will power keeping those legs driving on! That is something to be proud of for the rest of your life...the day you put the pro's in their place!
The race he made his new record had a great condition. In the same race, the new Japanese record 2:04:56 was also recorded. Over 42 people ran under 2:10:10 and that's a world record.
I like how the commenters judge him like he doesn't know his own body. In order to run in that position, he knows his own body and what it can do. It just boggles my mind how people can judge someone without even knowing them. All you need to say is he took a large lead and is running strong...that's it.
