Shizo Kanakuri is often cited as being the "slowest runner" in Olympic history due to his marathon time at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.
While he didn't technically finish the race during the event, a unique circumstance led to his "record." Kanakuri disappeared during the race due to heatstroke and confusion, eventually returning to Japan without notifying the Olympic officials.
Here's a breakdown:
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The 1912 Stockholm Olympics: Kanakuri, a Japanese marathon runner, participated in extremely hot conditions.
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Heatstroke and Disappearance: He suffered heatstroke and, disoriented, was aided by a local family. Embarrassed, he returned to Japan without informing the Olympic organizers.
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Declared Missing: He was officially listed as missing for many years.
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"Finishing" the Race in 1967: In 1967, Swedish Olympic officials tracked Kanakuri down and invited him back to Stockholm to "finish" the race. He accepted, and his official time became 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds.
Therefore, while not the slowest in terms of actual running pace, the elapsed time for Shizo Kanakuri to "complete" the marathon is the longest in Olympic history.
