Skip to main content

Tergat Withdraws From Fukuoka Due to `Special Military Training` Requirement

http://www.asahi.com/sports/update/1127/SEB200711270019.html?ref=rss

translated by Mika Tokairin and Brett Larner

The Fukuoka International Marathon announced today that former world record holder Paul Tergat (Kenya) has withdrawn from this Sunday`s race. His agent told race organizers that the Kenyan Army, of which Tergat is a member, called him up unexpectedly for special training and that he will not be able to come to Japan.

Tergat set the world record of 2:04:55 in Berlin `03. In September this year at Berlin, Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) broke the 4-year old record. Japanese fans were eagerly anticipating Tergat`s appearance in Fukuoka which was to be his first marathon in Japan.

Tergat said, "Unfortunately I cannot make it due to the Army`s program. I hope I will be invited again next year and I intend to win then."

Translator`s note: The Japanese source article specifies `rikugun` which translates as `ground forces` or `army` rather than `air force.`

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Brett Larner said…
Translation note: The Japanese article uses the term `rikugun,` literally `ground forces,` i.e. `Army.`
November 28, 2007 at 9:35 AM
Anonymous said…
Terget will be back when Sammy isn't racing, he is clearly ducking the competition after Sammy had that great prep race last year.
November 28, 2007 at 10:40 AM
Bob said…
Uh...Tergat is a member of the Kenyan AIR FORCE.

http://www.mod.go.ke/Kafsite/athletics.htm
November 29, 2007 at 4:47 AM
Anonymous said…
Brett, thank you for your site, I love it! My wish list includes information on training practices of Japanese runners, particulary marathoners. (Is there much differentiation between teams?) Also, I would love some comments on the Japanese culture of training in racing flats, and their thoughts on running shoes in general. - Eugene, OR
November 29, 2007 at 8:42 AM
Brett Larner said…
> Bob said...
> Uh...Tergat is a member of the > Kenyan AIR FORCE.

See above translation note.
November 29, 2007 at 11:52 PM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Takeshi Soh Reflects on 54 Years in the Sport on His Retirement as Asahi Kasei Head Coach

After 54 years at the Asahi Kasei corporate team, first as athlete and then as coach, Takeshi Soh will retire at the end of this month. Together with his twin brother Shigeru Soh they formed a duo who were icons of the Japanese marathoning world and went all the way to the Olympics. After retiring from competition Takeshi devoted himself to coaching young athletes and came to play a primary role in the leadership of Japanese long distance. His list of achievements is long, and so is the list of those he influenced and inspired. His twin Shigeru was chosen for three Olympic teams in the marathon, Montreal in 1976, Moscow in 1980 and Los Angeles in 1984. Takeshi was named to the Moscow and Los Angeles teams, placing 4th in L.A. to confirm his position as one of the greatest names in the sport in that era. After becoming a coach the twins helped lead Hiromi Taniguchi to gold at the 1991 Tokyo World Championships, Koichi Morishita to silver a year later at the Barcelona Olympics, and o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tokumoto and Yamakawa Take Over at Shibaura Kogyo in Quest for Hakone Debut

In a quest to make its first Hakone Ekiden, Shibaura Kogyo University announced this week that former Surugadai University head coach Kazuyoshi Tokumoto , 45, and former Reitaku University head coach Tatsuya Yamakawa , 40, will take over as head and assistant coach starting in April. In a statement issued by the university Tokumoto commented, "I'm pleased to have been named head coach of Shibaura Kogyo University's track and field team. When they came to feel me I could feel their passion about achieving their dream of becoming the first science and technology university to compete in the Hakone Ekiden. I was happy to accept because I felt that this was an environment in which I could grow too. It's my responsibility to help them become the 45th university ever to compete in Hakone. I hope that you'll enjoy Act II of the Tokumoto Show and cheer us on as Shibaura Kogyo heads down the road to Hakone." Yamakawa's comments read, "I arrived early in Feb...
1 comment
Read more

Nanjing World Indoor Championships Day One Japanese Results

Indoor track isn't much of a thing in Japan, but there's still a small national team at this weekend's Nanjing World Indoor Championships . High jumpers Naoto Hasegawa and Sota Haraguchi were the only Japanese athletes in action in final on Friday's opening day. Hasegawa became the first Japanese man to make top 8 in a World Indoor Championships high jump final, taking 7th with a 2.20 m SB. Haraguchi was 13th of 13 with a 2.14 m SB clearance. In the men's 400 m Fuga Sato made it through the opening heats with a 46.60 SB for 2nd in Heat 3, while Ryo Yoshikawa ran only 47.47 for 5th in Heat 2 and did not advance. Sato was eliminated in the semifinals after he was last in SF1 in 48.31. Yoshiki Kinashi and Naoki Nishioka both made it through the men's 60 m heats, Kinashi running 6.60 m for 2nd in Heat 8 and Nishioka 6.67 for 3rd in Heat 4. In the semifinals both were eliminated, Nishioka improving to 6.62 for 4th in SF3 and Kinashi running 6.63 for 5th in SF2....
Post a Comment
Read more