At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, a young Japanese marathoner named Shizo Kanakuri vanished during the race—and Sweden listed him as missing for 50 years.
What started as a grueling athletic ordeal across continents ended in one of the most unusual time records in Olympic history: a marathon finished over half a century later. The story begins with a long journey, an orange juice break, and a quiet retreat—then resurfaces decades later in an unexpected reunion with history.
The Journey to Stockholm
Born in rural Kyūshū, Japan, in 1891, Shizo Kanakuri trained by running nearly four miles to school every day. At 20, he won Japan’s trials for the 1912 Olympics with a reported 2:30:33 finish—on a 40 km course. He became one of Japan’s first Olympic athletes.
Funded by public donations, he traveled for 18 days via ship and the Trans-Siberian Railway to reach Sweden. The trip left him weakened. Poor sleep during the white nights and unfamiliar food worsened his condition, and with his coach ill, he arrived at the starting line underprepared.
The Vanishing Marathoner
The Stockholm marathon took place during a severe heat wave. Dozens of runners dropped out; one died. Kanakuri suffered hyperthermia 16 miles in and left the course, stumbling into a private garden party. After drinking orange juice for an hour, he quietly left Sweden and returned to Japan without informing race officials.
Unaware of his whereabouts, Sweden listed him as a missing person. A wooden spoon consolation prize went to another non-finisher, while tales circulated of the lost Japanese runner who disappeared mid-race.
Rediscovered After 50 Years
In 1967, Swedish television located Kanakuri, then a teacher in Japan. They invited him back to finish what he had started. At 75, he flew to Sweden, warmed up on the airport tarmac, and completed the remaining distance.
His official marathon time: 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds. Kanakuri remarked, “It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and ten grandchildren.”
Full Circle
While in Sweden, Kanakuri returned to the same villa where he’d once rested. The host’s son still remembered the Japanese visitor and showed him a scroll they had treasured for decades. It turned out to be a customs form Kanakuri had left behind.
Though amused, the meeting closed a strange and winding chapter in Olympic history. He continued contributing to Japanese athletics, including co-founding the Hakone Ekiden in 1920, and died in 1983 at the age of 92.
At the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, a young Japanese runner named Shizo Kanakuri vanished during the marathon and was listed as missing in Sweden for 50 years.
When he finally finished the race in 1967, his official time set a record: 54 years, 8 months, and 6 days…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/khVaKprpQR
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) July 1, 2025