Yukiko Akaba is a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the 10,000 metres, half marathon and marathon events.
Education
She finished twentieth in the 10,000 metres at the 2008 Olympic Games, but was less successful in the women"s 5000 metres, failing to make the final. Her next global competition came at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, where she finished 31st in the World Championship marathon race.
Career
She also ran at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, but failed to make an impact in either the individual race or with the Japanese team In the beginning of the 2010, she entered the Osaka International Ladies Marathon as a possible podium contender, she dropped out mid-race. She soon returned to form, however, clocking a time of 1:11:09 for second place at the Matsue Ladies Half Marathon in March behind Kenyan Obare Doricah.
Running at the 2010 London Marathon, she took sixth place with a time of 2:24:55, a personal best for the distance.
She was chosen to represent Japan at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics and took fifth place in the marathon. Akaba was eighth at the 2012 Nagoya Marathon, but was chosen as the substitute for the Olympic team due to her World Championship performance.
She had a her second best ever performance at the 2013 London Marathon, where her time of 2:24:43 hours was enough for third place. A course record of 2:27:17 hours followed at the Gold Coast Marathon in Australia in July.
5000 metres - 15:11.17 minimum (2005) 10,000 metres - 31:15.34 minimum (2008) Half marathon - 1:08:11 minimum (2008) Marathon - 2:24:09 (2011).