Yuri Kanō

She started out as a 10,000 metres runner on the track and won the silver medal behind Leigh Daniel at the 1999 Summer Universiade.

[1] She continued to race over 5000 metres and 10,000 m at Japanese track meetings but she began to make an impact in road running instead, competing in the half marathon.

[3] She set the stage two record at the 2005 Yokohama International Ekiden, running the 10 km stretch in 31:25, and took the team gold with Japan.

She finished seventh overall and was Japan's second best performer in the World Championships marathon race after silver medallist Yoshimi Ozaki.

She brought an end to her 2009 campaign with a silver medal in the half marathon at the 2009 East Asian Games, finishing just behind Kim Kum-Ok of North Korea.

[16] A victory at the Sapporo Half Marathon in July came after as she held off a challenge from Azausa Nojiri to keep the lead in the final stages.