Double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge fades to 10th at the Tokyo Marathon, while Japan's Yusuke Nishiyama misses out on a Paris Olympic spot.
Niiya completed the Houston Marathon in 2 hours, 19 minutes, 24 seconds. It was the second-fastest marathon ever run by a Japanese woman.
The Olympics were a respite from the harsh reality of COVID. It was the Games where we were more connected than ever before.
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra became the second-ever gold medalist for the country in an individual event.
Hitomi Niiya's triumph in the 2020 Houston Half Marathon kicked off a successful year that culminated with a national record in the women's 10,000 meters.
