Race walk gold medalist Yusuke Suzuki was named the Athlete of the Year at the annual Athletics Award of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations on Monday in Tokyo.
At September's World Athletic Championships in Doha, the 31-year-old never trailed from the start and crossed the finish line with a time of 4 hours, 4 minutes and 20 seconds, becoming the first Japanese competitor to win a race walk gold medal at either the Olympics or the world championships.
Suzuki, the world record holder in the 20-km distance, was excited to recieve an accolade he has always wanted after overcoming several years of injuries.