Born barely alive, Japan’s Aoyama runs for Deaflympic marathon gold

From Kyodo

November 8 2025

TOKYO – Born with almost no signs of life, Takuro Aoyama is determined to win gold in the marathon when his hometown Tokyo hosts the Deaflympics later this month.

Aoyama, 29, has proven himself since his high school days when he was part of a powerhouse team in the high school ekiden road relay. A silver medalist in the marathon at the World Deaf Athletics Championships in Taipei last December, he says he wants to run this time to show his gratitude for his family and community.

“I will definitely take the gold,” Aoyama said ahead of the Deaflympics that will run from Nov. 15 to 26. The marathon event is scheduled for Nov. 25.

Aoyama was born in a state of suspended animation, more than a week overdue and having grown to 3,600 grams inside his mother Hisako’s womb. Prenatal fluid, meant to protect him, had entered his lungs, rendering him in a critical condition.

Born via cesarean section, Aoyama did not cry.

He was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit of what is now the National Center for Child Health and Development in Tokyo, and was placed on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine to add oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from his blood supply.

“When I saw him, I broke down crying,” Aoyama’s father Naoaki, 63, said.

Aoyama survived, and his mother Hisako, now 59, continued to breastfeed him in the intensive care unit in the hope that he would recover quickly.

It was only when he was two months old, just before he was to be discharged from the hospital, that it was discovered that he had a hearing impairment.

Aoyama started wearing hearing aids, growing up surrounded by children who could hear. Despite the hearing impairment, he possessed great athletic potential and began to excel in track and field when he started in middle school.

He competed twice in the national high school ekiden relay and won its fifth leg when he was in his third year.

Aoyama took a break from sport after graduating from university, but decided to challenge himself in marathon running at the Tokyo Deaflympics. Despite those around him being unsure about this next step, Aoyama showed great potential by running a swift time of 2 hours, 29 minutes and 52 seconds in his first marathon in 2023.

At the Tokyo Marathon in March, Aoyama improved his time to 2 hours, 22 minutes and 53 seconds, setting a new Japanese record for deaf athletes.

“I never imagined it would turn out like this,” his father Naoaki said.

As the Deaflympics marathon will be held in a loop course in the Japanese capital, Naoaki expressed hope that people will get to see his son multiple times.

“I want to get results and repay my family and supporters,” Aoyama said as he prepares to tackle the 42.195 kilometer course.