What if a ghost from the Olympics haunted Stockholm for decades? This Minnestavla commemorates a baffling event. It remembers Shizo Kanakuri. He was a Japanese marathon runner. The plaque marks the strange story of “The Japanese who disappeared” during the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.
The 1912 Stockholm Olympics was very hot. Temperatures soared above 30 degrees Celsius. Shizo Kanakuri was a promising athlete. He was known for speed and endurance. He earned a spot to represent Japan.
The marathon started at the Stockholm stadium. Runners headed north toward Sollentuna. Kanakuri never completed the race. Exhaustion and heatstroke took their toll. About halfway through the marathon Kanakuri went off course. He sought rest.
He stumbled upon a garden party. A kind family offered him food and drinks. After talking with them for an hour he fell asleep. Kanakuri was embarrassed by his failure. He returned to Japan silently. He did not notify race officials. Swedish authorities considered him a missing person.
Back in Japan Kanakuri continued to compete. He qualified for the 1916 Olympics. Those games were canceled because of World War I. He completed his first Olympic marathon in 1920. It was in Antwerp. He finished in 16th place. He entered the Paris games four years later. He did not finish this race but told officials. He made sure to inform them he was returning to Japan.
Kanakuri became a well-known athlete. He helped to establish the Hakone Ekiden relay marathon. In Sweden he was still a missing person. A reporter found him in the 1960s. He was working as a geography teacher. It was in Tamana City. This is in Kumamoto Prefecture.
A Swedish television station invited him back. They wanted him to finish the marathon. He accepted the offer. In 1967 at 75 years old Kanakuri finished the race. His time was 54 years 8 months 6 days 5 hours 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds. He earned a Guinness World Record. It was for the longest time to finish a marathon.
The Minnestavla remembers Kanakuri’s unique story. The marathon was a turning point. It led to legend. A monument called Maratonstenen marks the marathon’s turning point. It stands south of Sollentuna Church since 2012.
The story of “The Japanese who disappeared” lives on. The story highlights an extraordinary Olympic moment. It involves perseverance. It also involves the passage of time. This plaque ensures that Shizo Kanakuri’s memory remains. He is not just a runner. He’s a symbol of Olympic spirit.