Hideo Tanaka

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameHideo•Tanaka
Used nameHideo•Tanaka
Original name田中•秀雄
Born2 September 1909 in Chiri, Achi, Nagano (JPN)
Died(Prior to 2011)
Measurements165 cm / 54 kg
AffiliationsChuo University, Tokyo (JPN)
NOC Japan

Biography

When Hideo Tanaka was a high school student in Nagano Prefecture he won a fell race to the summit of Mt. Kazakoshi in 1926 and decided to become an athlete. In 1932, he won the 3,000 m steeplechase at the Japan Athletics Championships for the first time. He later enrolled in Tokyo’s Chuo University and represented his alma mater in the Hakone Ekiden relay consecutively from 1934-1937. In 1934 he also set a Japanese record in the 1,500 metres and again won the steeplechase at the national championships. At the Far Eastern Games, Tanaka won the 1,500 m and placed second in the 10,000 m. One year later, he improved his 1,500 m record twice and set a national record in the 3,000 m steeplechase. In 1936, he won his third steeplechase title at the Japan Athletics Championships. At the 1936 nationals, however, he fell short of his personal best by 20 seconds and did not advance to the second round.

After his active career Tanaka became a journalist for the Shinano Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. After World War II, he continued to promote long-distance running particularly in the Nagano region. Today, the “Tanaka Cup” is awarded to the winner of the Kazakoshi Mountain Marathon, which was held regularly since 1948.

Personal Bests: 5000 – 15:10.0 (1936); 3000S – 9:32.8 (1937).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1936 Summer Olympics Athletics JPN Hideo Tanaka
5,000 metres, Men (Olympic) 11 h2 r1/2
3,000 metres Steeplechase, Men (Olympic) 6 h3 r1/2