Shizo Kanakuri, a talented runner, participated in the 1912 Summer Olympics marathon held in Stockholm. The weather was unusually 1 , causing many athletes to struggle with the heat. Like them, Shizo pushed himself to the limit, but his body could not bear the 2 . Around the 30-kilometer mark, he gave in to the heat exhaustion and had to 3 the race.
However, due to 4 and hurry, he 5 to inform the organizers of the reason for his withdrawal. Therefore, at that time, people 6 him and assumed that he lacked ability or had a bad mentality.
Years passed, and the world changed greatly. It wasn't until 1966 that Swedish authorities finally 7 what had happened to Shizo. They discovered that he had become a coach. They 8 invited him back to complete the marathon he had started so long ago.
At the age of 76, Shizo 9 to Stockholm and finished the marathon. His time was 54 years, 8 months, 5 days, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds — the slowest marathon time ever recorded. Despite the length of time it took him, Shizo 10 his goal and proved that it's never too 11 to finish what you've started.
The next time someone tells you it's too late to pursue a dream or complete a(n)12 , remember the 13 of Shizo Kanakuri. His 14 journey teaches us that determination, perseverance (毅力), and belief in oneself can 15 even the most challenging circumstances.
