'Kenyan Wins Gold Coast Marathon on Debut'

http://www.supersport.com/athletics/article.aspx?headline=Kenyan%20wins%20Gold%20Coast%20Marathon%20on%20debut%20&id=306758

Ngatuny and Nakamura Warm Up for World Champs With Sapporo Wins

by Brett Larner

click here for race photos

Just a week after qualifying for the World Championships on the track in their respective countries, Kenyan Gideon Ngatuny (Team Nissin Shokuhin) and Japanese Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya) took their first wins at a humid Sapporo International Half Marathon. Japan's World Championships marathon favorites had mixed results but mostly finished far down the field in their last major race before August's big target day.

Ngatuny, who was 2nd in the 10000 m at the Kenyan National Championships last weekend to seize a place on the Kenyan national team, staged a man-to-man battle against three-time champion and course record holder Mekubo Mogusu (Team Aidem), who was running his first significant race since a car accident in February left his coach comatose. Initially accompanied by university ace Daniel Gitau (Nihon Univ.), Ngatuny and Mogusu pushed each other through the first 2 km in 5:17. It was too much for Gitau who swiftly folded and disappeared.

From there on out Mogusu and Ngatuny alternated the lead, hitting 5 km in 13:38, 10 km in 27:49 and 15 km in 42:17. The pair tried to stay below the hour mark but slipped after 15 km, running 15:03 between 15 km and 20 km. On the major uphill over the final 2 km Ngatuny proved himself the stronger, pushing his alarmingly thin frame ahead of the champion Mogusu and sailing on to the win in 1:00:39, off from his PB but a strong result considering his run in Kenya last weekend and the international travel in between. Ngatuny said in his post-race interview that he knew Mogusu's running well and had been afraid of him and when he would try to break away. For Mogusu, though, it was a rough awakening, one of the first races he has run against worthy competition and one which showed that he has not yet outgrown his inability to respond to a challenge with patience. If he is to have a successful professional career he still needs to grow.

Three of Japan's World Championships marathon men also ran the race. National record holder Atsushi Sato (Team Chugoku Denryoku) ran the race consistently among the Kenyans, never really appearing to strain but seeming content with practicing his tactics for Berlin. "I think this was a good result," he commented afterwards. Alternate Kensuke Takahashi (Team Toyota) had a more noteworthy performance, initially hanging back but charging late in the race and falling just steps short of overtaking Sato. Arata Fujiwara (Team JR Higashi Nihon) was a baffling 98th in 1:07:00, an amateurish performance which from any other runner would raise serious questions about his suitability for the national team. In Fujiwara's case it only solidified his reputation for unpredictability.

The women's race started off more conservatively, with a large pack including all the contenders going through 5 km in 16:17. After that World Championships marathon team leader Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo), running her first race in months following injury problems, led the way for runners falling off the back of the pack. At 10 km only six runners, Danielle Filomena Cheyech (Team Uniqlo), Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya), Julia Mombi (Team Aruze), Yukari Sahaku (Team Aruze), Ryoko Kisaki (Team Daihatsu) and Mari Ozaki (Team Noritz) crossed the mat together in 32:49.

At 12.5 km tiny Sahaku, who was a narrow 2nd at last weekend's National Championships 10000 m to qualify for Berlin, led a charge which strung out the pack and soon eliminated all but Mombi and Nakamura. Sahaku took confidence from having beaten Nakamura in the 10000 m, but she could not get away. Her teammate Mombi, who will run the marathon for Kenya at the World Championships, soon returned. Nakamura, who also qualified for Berlin by finishing 2nd in the 5000 m at the National Championships, followed suit, and the trio passed 15 km in 49:17.

As in the men's race, the breakaway happened in the uphill final 2 km. This time it was Nakamura, who opened up on the two Aruze runners, hit 20 km alone in 1:05:56 and on to a win in 1:09:20, a PB by 40 seconds. Nakamura, who suffered from a lack of stamina and finishing power through much of the spring track season said afterwards that her goal had been to be able to sustain her pace over the last part of the race and that she was glad to have been able to pull it off. Mombi was a short distance behind in 2nd, a minute slower than her PB in 1:09:30. Sahaku impressed again, taking nearly 3 minutes off her PB to finish 3rd in 1:09:36.

Defending champion and World Championships marathoner Yuri Kano (Second Wind AC) was 5th in 1:11:19, an improvement on her performance at the National Championships but showing she still has work to do this summer. The Berlin team's weakest member, Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido) was a credible 9th, but the biggest news was Shibui's 23rd place finish in 1:14:09, nearly 5 minutes off both her best and Nakamura's winning time. There is still time for her to complete her return to form, but as Japan's medal favorite in Berlin Shibui's run leaves her fans biting their nails.

2009 Sapporo International Half Marathon - Top Finishers
click division header for complete results

Men
1. Gideon Ngatuny (Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 1:00:39
2. Mekubo Mogusu (Team Aidem) - 1:00:58
3. Silas Jui (Team Hitachi Cable) - 1:01:03
4. Stephen Ndung (Team Aichi Steel) - 1:01:29
5. Joseph Gitau (Team JFE Steel) - 1:02:39
6. James Mwangi (Team NTN) - 1:02:43
7. Kiragu Njuguna (Daiichi Kogyo Univ.) - 1:02:44
8. Harun Njoroge (Team Komori Corp.) - 1:02:51
9. Atsushi Sato (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 1:02:54
10. Kensuke Takahashi (Team Toyota) - 1:02:54
-----
12. Daniel Gitau (Nihon Univ.) - 1:03:05
23. Yu Mitsuya (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 1:04:12
98. Arata Fujiwara (Team JR Higashi Nihon) - 1:07:00

Women
1. Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya) - 1:09:20 - PB
2. Julia Mombi (Team Aruze) - 1:09:30
3. Yukari Sahaku (Team Aruze) - 1:09:36 - PB
4. Ryoko Kisaki (Team Daihatsu) - 1:10:59
5. Yuri Kano (Second Wind AC) - 1:11:19
6. Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) - 1:11:32
7. Danielle Filomena Cheyech (Team Uniqlo) - 1:11:35
8. Azusa Nojiri (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 1:11:57 - PB
9. Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido) - 1:11:58
10. Miki Ohira (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 1:12:13
-----
23. Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 1:14:09

(c) 2009 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

Watch the Sapporo International Half Marathon Online

by Brett Larner

The 2009 Sapporo International Half Marathon takes place this Sunday, July 5th. Most of the Japanese runners on this year's World Championships marathon squads will be using it as a tuneup for August's main event.

In the men's race three-time champion and course record holder Mekubo Mogusu will take on Japanese national record holder and '09 World Championships marathoner Atsushi Sato, along with Sato's World Champs marathon teammates Arata Fujiwara and Kensuke Takahashi, young star Yu Mitsuya, and Mogusu's perennial rival Daniel Gitau. Gitau has yet to approach Mogusu in ability but after spending the spring focusing on 800 m and 1500 m track races he has honed his speed and may be the champion's toughest challenger.

Defending women's champion and '09 World Championships marathon team member Yuri Kano will face her own World Championships marathon teammates Yoko Shibui, Yoshiko Fujinaga and Tomo Morimoto as well as Kenyan marathon squad member Julia Mombi. Most eyes will be on Shibui, who is running her first race in over four months after a long period of injury. Also in the field are '09 World Championships track runners Yukari Sahaku and Yurika Nakamura. Last weekend Sahaku finished 2nd in the National Championships 10000 m and Nakamura 2nd in the 5000 m.

The Sapporo International Half Marathon will be broadcast on Nihon TV on Sun., July 5 from 1:30 - 2:55 p.m. Japan time. Overseas viewers should be able to watch online for free. Click here for more details on watching online.

2009 Sapporo International Half Marathon Elite Field - click for official listing
Men
#18 - Mekubo Mogusu (Team Aidem) - 59:48
#12 - Atsushi Sato (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 1:00:25
#31 - Daniel Gitau (Nihon Univ.) - 1:01:34
#11 - Tsuyoshi Ogata (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 1:01:50
#15 - Shigeru Aburaya (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 1:01:54
#17 - Kensuke Takahashi (Team Toyota) - 1:01:54
#13 - Arata Fujiwara (Team JR Higashi Nihon) - 1:02:17
#16 - Yu Mitsuya (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 1:02:26
#32 - Yusuke Takabayashi (Komazawa Univ.) - 1:02:36
#14 - Yuzo Onishi (Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 1:03:12
#33 - Go Nakagawa (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 1:03:30

Women
#89 - Julia Mombi (Team Aruze) - 1:08:31
#83 - Yuri Kano (Second Wind AC) - 1:08:57
#84 - Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido) - 1:09:19
#82 - Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 1:09:31
#91 - Mari Ozaki (Team Noritz) - 1:09:33
#85 - Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya) - 1:10:00
#87 - Miki Ohira (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 1:10:13
#81 - Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) - 1:10:16
#88 - Ikuyo Yamashita (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 1:10:53
#86 - Tomo Morimoto (Team Tenmaya) - 1:12:05
#90 - Yukari Sahaku (Team Aruze) - 1:12:17
#95 - Natsuko Goto (Nihon Univ.) - debut

(c) 2009 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

'Asian Youth Games 2009 Athletics Results (Day 3)'

http://www.singaporeathletics.com/singapore-news/asian-youth-games-2009-athletics-results-day-3

From the Editor: Women's Marathoning and the Autumn Sky

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/sports/other/090702/oth0907020838001-n1.htm

an editorial by Sankei Newspapers Editor in Chief Ikuro Beppu
translated by Brett Larner and Mika Tokairin

Japanese women's marathon pioneer Nanae Nagata passed away on June 27, far too young at only 53 years old. More people probably remember her by her maiden name, Nanae Sasaki. In 1985 her wedding was one of the Yukan Fuji newspaper's big scoops.

On the day of her dowry ceremony Sasaki came to the house of her coach Kiyoshi Nakamura in Tokyo's Sendagaya neighborhood during her early morning training. As a young Yukan Fuji reporter I was there waiting outside the front door, and I said "Congratulations!" to her. Then the aging master appeared. Both were surprised that the media had found out about Sasaki's impending wedding, but as Nakamura admitted Sasaki inside he turned to me and gave a simple, "Enter." As I sat next to Sasaki, Nakamura implored me, at times stridently, at times gently, not to write about his athlete out of respect for her privacy. I understood his concern, but as a journalist I had responsibilities and I felt conflicted.

Nakamura proposed a compromise. "Do not write about this until after the dowry ceremonies are over." In the end I agreed that the article would be published the day after the end of Sasaki's ceremony. Nakamura also told me, "You must also promise not to say a word about Nanae Sasaki's actual wedding in tomorrow morning's edition." I promised, and I kept my word.

The year before, Nakamura had gone ahead with Sasaki to Los Angeles to prepare for the Olympic Games. In his absence, Nakamura's other star athlete Toshihiko Seko overtrained and began to have bloody urine. Out of fear for his health Seko took some Chinese herbal medicine a friend offered him, but then he began to worry whether or not he would fail a doping test. The stress tore him apart and, a nervous wreck, he finished only 14th at the Olympics. Nakamura told me afterwards, "If Seko had just taken the day off and had a few beers when he first had the problem everything would have been fine."

After the Olympics Nakamura wanted Sasaki to have "happiness as a woman." He also wanted Seko to "stand on his own two feet." Thus, the coach decided to select spouses for the two runners. When I interviewed him in May, 1985, the month of their dowry ceremonies, Nakamura told me, "Those two are all smiles these days." He also said this: "There is nothing more I can do for them." Those were the last words I ever heard the great man say.

The next month, Nakamura was killed in an accident during a fishing trip in Niigata Prefecture. When I think about what he had said to me and the timing it still gives me chills. The photo of Nakamura used at his memorial service was from the Yukan Fuji newspaper. When Nakamura himself had seen the picture he had said, "I want you to use this at my funeral." The photo was taken at the Jingugaien training loop as Nakamura watched Seko and Sasaki run, deep lines creasing his forehead and eyes as a smile exploded across his face.

In an interview when Sasaki was at her peak I asked Nakamura about her condition and he replied only, "Women's marathoning and the autumn sky." I think he was evoking the image of something volatile, changeable and unpredictable. Sasaki was the first pioneer of Japanese women's marathoning. In her wake Naoko Takahashi and Mizuki Noguchi scored Olympic gold medals, transforming the sport into one of Japan's most important. If I could talk to her one more time about her legacy and impact, I'm sure Sasaki would only shake her head with characteristic shyness and say, "No, no, I was nothing."

Wanjiru Withdraws From Sapporo Half Marathon

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/sports/other/090701/oth0907012032021-n1.htm

translated by Brett Larner

Beijing Olympics men's marathon gold medalist and half marathon world record holder Samuel Wanjiru (Team Savas) of Kenya has withdrawn from the July 5 Sapporo International Half Marathon, the race's office announced on July 1. Wanjiru, who won April's London Marathon, was to be Sapporo's feature invited athlete but recently told race officials that he is dealing with the affects of accumulated fatigue and cannot race.

'Asian Youth Games 2009 Athletics Results (Day Two)'

http://www.singaporeathletics.com/singapore-news/asian-youth-games-2009-athletics-results-day-2

'Asian Youth Games 2009 Athletics Results (Day 1)'

http://www.singaporeathletics.com/singapore-news/asian-youth-games-2009-athletics-results-day-1