Monaco, December 10, 2021: World Athletics Heritage Plaques have been awarded to seven recipients in Asia, Europe, NACAC and South America across the categories of Competition, Culture and Legend on December 9.
The World Athletics Heritage Plaque, a location-based recognition, is awarded for “an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track & field athletics and of out of stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking.”
The programme was inaugurated by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe on 2 December 2018 and the latest announcement brings the total number of plaques worldwide to 71.
Japan’s Mikio Oda has been included in the “Legend” category, with World Athletics Heritage saying:
“The 1928 Olympic triple jump gold medallist, Japan’s first ever Olympic champion across all sports. In Amsterdam, Oda leapt 15.21m for victory.
“In 1931, after graduating from Waseda University, Oda joined the Asahi Shimbun newspaper as a reporter. In that same year, he set a triple jump world record of 15.58m. Oda’s name is commemorated at a track and field stadium as well as at the annual track meet in Hiroshima.”
The other six awardees were:
Category: Competition - Enschede Marathon, Netherlands; New York City Marathon; Thames Hare & Hounds cross-country running club, London.
Category: Culture - Galeria Olimpica RGM (Roberto Gesta de Melo), Manaus, Brazil; L’Équipe daily sports newspaper, France; Royal Shrewsbury School Hunt cross-country race, England.
Source: www.worldathletics.org