Yuko Matsuzaki is the first Japanese swimmer to be inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. “It is such an honor and so exciting. I love swimming and I feel so free in the water,” says the Tokyo native who was a pool swimmer, fin swimmer and a marathon swimmer during her 34-year career.

Yuko will be joined by Japanese government officials at the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the United Nations on June 19th.

“There will be so many great swimmers [at the ceremonies]. They have all done so much in the water and I can’t wait to meet them. They understand both how much marathon swimmers sacrifice, but how much we also love and enjoy our sport.”

Yuko competed on the professional marathon swim circuit for many years, traveling to several countries. In many races, she was the only representative not only from Japan, but also Asia. She also completed two long unprecedented lake swims in Lake Cane, Florida including a 82K swim in 29 hours and 55 minutes and her longest non-stop lake swim of 83K in 33 hours and 24 minutes.

Her long international marathon swimming career includes a number of professional swims in Serbia (the 19K Jarak-Sabac), Greece (the 15K Crossing of Toroeos Gulf and 16K Trichonida Marathon in 6:29 and the 30K Kalamata-Koroni Marathon Swim in 8:47 and 10:47), Argentina (the 22K and 57K Rosario Marathons 9 times, 88K Hernandarias-Parana Marathon in 10:27, 10:08, 10:20, 10:47 and 11:04, the 56K Santa Fe-Coronda Marathon Swim in 9:48 and 9:37, the 25K Mar del Plata), the USA (the 35K Around Atlantic City Marathon Swim in 8:46, 10:17, 9:08, 9:14, 12:10, 9:26 and 9:13, the 25K Swim Across The Sound in 7:37, 7:30, 8:33, 8:46 and 8:06, Bermuda (the 10K Round the Sound), Canada (a double crossing of Lake Memphremagog and the 40K Traversee du lac Memphremagog in 11:24, 13:09, 11:01 and 11:48, and 40K lac St-Jean), Italy (the 27K Teraccina Marathon in 9:30, the 35K Riviera Marathon in 10:03 and the Capri-Napoli Marathon in 8:46, 9:42, 9:57 and 11:30) and the 20K Trasimeno Marathon in 4:57), Brazil (the 27K Tapes Marathon in 7:40 and 9:01 and 8:30), France (the 25k Lac Du Bourget) and several 12- and 24-hour non-stop swims on behalf of the YMCA Youth Scholarship Fund.

Her love of the sport is obvious: she always starts – and finishes – with a smile.



The International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame ceremonies are out to the paying public and will be a 4-hour celebration of marathon swimming excellence with representatives from at least Canada, Mexico, Spain, Dominican Republic, Cayman Islands, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, England, Tunisia, Slovenia and South Africa in attendance.

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