Mikio Oda facts for kids

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Mikio Oda

Personal information
Native name	織田 幹雄
Nationality	Japanese
Born	(1905-03-30)30 March 1905 Kaita, Japan
Died	2 December 1998(1998-12-02) (aged 93). Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
Alma mater	Waseda University
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Club	Waseda University, Tokyo
Medal record Representing  Japan Olympic Games Gold 1928 Amsterdam Triple jump Far Eastern Championship Games Gold 1923 Osaka Triple jump Gold 1923 Osaka Long jump Bronze 1923 Osaka High jump Gold 1925 Manila Triple jump Gold 1927 Shanghai Triple jump Gold 1927 Shanghai Long jump Gold 1927 Shanghai Decathlon Gold 1930 Tokyo Triple jump Silver 1930 Tokyo Long jump Silver 1930 Tokyo Pole vault

Mikio Oda (織田 幹雄, Oda Mikio, 30 March 1905 – 2 December 1998) was a Japanese athlete. He made history by becoming the first Japanese person to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. He was also the first Asian athlete to win an individual Olympic championship.

Early Life and Athletic Start

Mikio Oda was born in Kaita, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. He showed great talent in sports from a young age. When he was just 17 years old, he competed in the Far Eastern Championship Games in Osaka.

Setting New Records

At the 1923 Far Eastern Championship Games, Mikio Oda set a new Japanese record in the triple jump. He also won gold medals in the long jump and a bronze medal in the high jump events. His amazing performance earned him a spot on the Japanese Olympic team.

Olympic Journey

Mikio Oda competed in three Olympic Games. His journey began in Paris and led to a historic win in Amsterdam.

First Olympics: Paris 1924

Oda joined the Japanese team for the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. He competed in the triple jump, long jump, and high jump. While he didn't win a medal in Paris, he gained valuable experience. He finished sixth in the triple jump competition.

Historic Gold: Amsterdam 1928

After studying at Waseda University, Oda returned to the Olympics. He competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. This time, he made history! He won the gold medal in the triple jump event. His winning jump was 15.21 meters. This made him the first Japanese athlete to ever win an Olympic gold medal. He was also the first Asian to win an individual Olympic event.

Official Video of 1928 Triple Jump

Later Olympics: Los Angeles 1932

After his gold medal win, Oda continued his career. In 1931, he set a new world record for the triple jump, reaching 15.58 meters. He then served as a coach and captain for the Japanese athletics team at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Life After Competing

After retiring from competitive sports, Mikio Oda dedicated his life to sports administration. He helped organize and promote athletics in Japan and around the world.

Contributions to Sports

• He became a member of the Japanese Olympic Committee in 1948.
• He joined the technical committee of the IAAF, a major international sports organization.
• He coached the Japanese athletics team at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
• He also coached at the 1954 Asian Games in Manila.

Honoring His Legacy

Mikio Oda's achievements were remembered in many ways:

• During the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the Olympic flag was raised to exactly 15.21 meters. This was the exact height of his gold-medal-winning jump 36 years earlier.
• A running track in Yoyogi, built for the 1964 Olympics, was named "Oda Field" in his honor.
• An annual track and field competition, the Mikio Oda Memorial International Amateur Athletic Game, was created in 1967.

Later Life and Awards

Mikio Oda became a professor at Waseda University in 1965. In 1976, he received the Olympic Order. This is the highest award given by the Olympic Movement. In 1988, the Japanese government honored him as a Person of Cultural Merit. He passed away in 1998. In 2000, experts chose him as the best Asian male athlete of the century.

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in athletics (men)
• List of people on the postage stamps of Japan