On a cold and wet 18th March, Yuko Arimori, two-time Olympic medalist, ran her last race at the Tokyo Marathon, fifteen years after winning her first Olympic medal.

In front of an estimated 1.8 million cheering crowd, Arimori, along with 31,000 other runners, completed the course in 2 hours 52 minutes, coming in fifth among the women.

Arimori runs through the streets of Tokyo,
here seen outside JOICFP's office

Arimori had not run a competitive marathon for over five years, and her achievement is more remarkable as she was knocked down during the race, suffering cuts and bruises.

She commented, "I had a good race because I was supported by so many people. From now on, I will convey my messages with joy through sport, as sport puts people in a positive frame of mind and messages are better received.

"As a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, I will make the work of UNFPA more widely known. As a marathon runner, I expressed what I found in myself, and I will take that determination and individual view into my UNFPA work."

Arimori's next UNFPA mission will be to Pakistan on a JOICFP organized trip in June to observe UNFPA-supported population and reproductive health programs.

Some of the supporters cheering for Arimori