Mamoru Morimoto

When he was at high school Mamoru Morimoto was a member of the baseball team where his ability as a runner was first spotted. The track and field team were low on members and Morimoto was invited to join them in the relay race. He took up track and field athletics as a middle-distance runner before graduating from Chuo University and then studying in Germany at the University of Mainz. In 1962 Morimoto broke the Japanese record in the 800 metres at a meeting in Amsterdam, improving the record four times the following year. He won the gold medal in the 800 metres at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, along with a bronze in the 4 × 400 metres relay.

In 1964 Morimoto set another Japanese record in the 800 metres when he ran 1:47.4 seconds, with the record standing until 1993. The same year he ran in the event at the Tokyo Olympics where he was one of the favourites to win the race. Just before the race, however, he contracted hepatitis and was eliminated in the semi-finals. Two years later Morimoto won bronze in the 800 metres at the Asian Games in Bangkok and he retired from athletics shortly afterwards to become a coach.

Personal Best: 800 – 1:47.4 (1964).