Simon is the most popular foreign athlete in the event’s history and one of the most famous foreign athletes in Japan. Her fame stems not only from her three consecutive wins at Osaka, but from her duels with two prominent Japanese athletes at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and the 2001 IAAF Edmonton World Championships.
Japan‘s Yoko Shibui won the Osaka Marathon, finishing two minutes ahead of runner-up Yukiko Akaba.
Shibui broke away from the pack at the 33-kilometer (20.5-mile) mark and crossed the finish line at Nagai Stadium in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 42 seconds.
Akaba, running in her first marathon, had a time of 2:25:40, while Yumiko Hara was third in 2:26:57.