Yvonne Kanazawa (born December 19, 1974, in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese former track and field athlete who specialized in the 100-meter hurdles. She was a dominant figure in Asian athletics during the late 1990s and early 2000s, holding the Japanese national record in her event for many years.
Career Highlights:
- Asian Games: Kanazawa won back-to-back gold medals in the 100m hurdles at the Asian Games, triumphing in 1998 in Bangkok and again in 2002 in Busan.
- Asian Championships: She achieved a remarkable hat-trick of gold medals at the Asian Athletics Championships, winning the 100m hurdles in 1998 (Fukuoka), 2000 (Jakarta), and 2002 (Colombo).
- National Record: On July 29, 2000, she set the Japanese national record in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.00 seconds at the Osaka Grand Prix, a record that remained unbroken for over a decade.
- Olympic Games: Kanazawa represented Japan at the Olympic Games, competing in the 100m hurdles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics.
- World Championships: She also participated in multiple IAAF World Championships in Athletics throughout her career.
Kanazawa's consistent performance and strong presence on the international stage made her one of Japan's most prominent hurdlers of her generation.