Event Coordinator – Yuko Matsuzaki

Matsuzaki-san is Japan’s only athlete inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and was Japan’s first professional swimmer.

Biography

A graduate of Tsukuba University and a native of Tokyo, Matsuzaki-san was a professional marathon swimmer from 1989 to 2003.  She competed in professional marathon swims between 22 and 89 kilometers in lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans in Italy, Greece, Bermuda, Argentina, USA, Canada, Serbia, France, and Brazil.  She was one of the most prolific marathon swimmers of her generation and was inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in its Class of 2011.  She accepted the Honor at the United Nations in New York City in October 2011.

In 2014, she was officially recognized as a professional marathon swimmer by the United States of America’s federal government and she was named to the World’s 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Swimming Women by the World Open Water Swimming Association in 2015.  

Media  

  • She wrote a book called Marathon Swimming: My Fun Journey.
  • She wrote for SWIM Magazine and JOYO newspaper every month.
  • In 2002, she appeared in the TBS documentary program Jonetsu Tairiku (「情熱大陸」) in Japan which interviews and introduces people who are active in various fields with the program Marathon Swimmer, Yuko Matsuzaki (「職業：マラソンスイミング」). The program won the Galaxy Award Monthly Award.
  • She served as a photographer in the America, Florida, Orlando editions of the travel guidebook Travelling Around the World.
Family
Her father, Yamato Matsuzaki, joined the Japan Coast Guard in 1953 and served in various roles, including as an education officer and head of the 9th Regional Headquarters, before retiring in 1984 as the Chief Inspector of the Japan Coast Guard. He later served as chairman and advisor of the Japan Coast Guard Association. In 1997, he was awarded the Order of the Third Class.
Solo Swimming Career Highlights

Professional Marathon Swimming Career Highlights

Matsuzaki’s international career includes a number of professional marathon swims:

  • in Bermuda
    • In 2007, she completed the 10 km Bermuda Round-the-Sound in Harrington Sound in 2 hours 39 minutes at the age of 44.
  • in Brazil
    • On 5 February 1995, she competed in the 26 km Tapes Marathon, finishing in 9 hours 1 minutes.
    • She completed in the 26 km Tapes Marathon, finishing in 7 hours 40 minutes.
    • She completed in the 26 km Tapes Marathon, finishing in 8 hours 30 minutes.