On July 13, 2013, when Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) took first place with the ten-meter advantage over Maksim Krasnov (RUS) and Diego Garcia (ESP) in the final straight of the Donetsk Stadium (UKR), many people looked in the eye as ask himself:
"Who is he ?"
A Japanese was dominating the 10,000m track walk in U18 World Championship from start to finish and ending in a time of complete respect (41:53.80).
In fact, Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) was little more than a big surprise in that race that started with victory expectations divided by 50% between the Russian and the Spanish.
He came from a 41:14 on road to the magic course of Kobe (a straight flat like a billiard, which would deserve a great international race) in the U20 race of Feb. 17, 2013 and a 20:16.00 on 5,000m track walk (obtained in Kyoto on May 5, 2013).
And then, after Donetsk (UKR) he lost sight for the international fore.
The your athlete with the passion for math had won a college award scholarship and he had thought to exploit the opportunity by omitting the sport.
But victory creates an intimate tie with the sport that is difficult to cut.
And after a year or so, our young student in phisichal engineering competes in Nagasaki (JPN) on October 21, 2014 where he obtains his personal best on track in 40:40.96.
Only seventh at the arrival, but preceded by high-profile names of the Sun-Rising walk: Yusuke Suzuki, Eiki Takahashi, Kai Kobayashi, Isamu Fujisawa, Koichiro Morioka and Takayuki Tanii.
It is quite obvious at this point that the one who seemed lost to race walk was not.
He continued between college and race walk and the following year at Japan National University Championships (September 13, 2015) establishes the new personal best (39:28.23) behind the other famous Japanese name, Daisuke Matsunaga (39:18:04) that in 2014 was World Champion U20 in Eugene (USA).
2015 is also the year of his first 20km in Kobe (Feb. 15, 2015) where he ends 11th in 1:23:54.
From now on, his progress on the 20km Olympic distance makes it interesting:
- 2015: 1:21:20
- 2016: 1:20:50
- 2017: 1:19:03
Almost always competes in Japan with only two appearances abroad: the first it is fruitful for the time, and the second for the victory.
The table here below shows all his 20km up today.
| Date | Competition | Nation | Pos. | Result |
| | | | | |
| 19.02.2017 | Kobe Japanese 20km Race Walking Ch. | JPN | 3. | 1:19:03 |
| 28.05.2016 | La Coruña Gran Premio Cantones | ESP | 7. | 1:20:50 |
| 15.03.2015 | Nomi Asian Race Walking Championships | JPN | 8. | 1:21:20 |
| 19.03.2017 | Nomi Asian Race Walking Championships | JPN | 8. | 1:21:23 |
| 23.10.2016 | Takahata 50km Race Walk National Ch. | JPN | 2. | 1:22:14 |
| 15.02.2015 | Kobe Japaneese 20 km Race Walking Ch. | JPN | 11. | 1:23:54 |
| 26.08.2017 | Taipei Universiade | TPE | 1. | 1:27:30 |
In Taipei's damp race, the first major victory (21 years) over 20km distance four years away from the unexpected Donetsk result, however, was also the slower one of his career, but ... it is known that in races with the winning title in important only the result.
Congratulations Toshikazu !
Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) victory in Taipei
A young Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) in Donetsk