Ayako Yoshikawa

Ayako Yoshikawa took up track and field athletics in high school and, while still a student, won the 100 metres event at the Japanese national championships and came in second in the long jump in 1950. This led to her selection to represent her country at the 1951 Asian Games where, despite a recent appendicitis surgery, she won silver in the long jump and gold in the 4x100 metres relay. She also defended her national title that year and followed that up by winning the long jump in 1952. She then made her only other major international appearance at the Helsinki Olympics, where she was eliminated in round one of the 100 metres and placed 16th in the long jump. She retired from active competition shortly after the Games and later worked in journalism.

Personal Bests: 100 – 12.0 (1951); LJ – 5.75 (1952).