Skip to main content

Tokyo Marathon Adds Prize Money to Attract Top Runners

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20080515-00000930-san-spo

translated by Brett Larner

Drawing 30,000 runners to the streets of Tokyo, the Tokyo Marathon is set to become the first large race in Japan to offer significant prize money to top-placing elite runners. On May 14 the race`s organizing committee announced tentative plans for the addition of prize money to next year`s Tokyo Marathon in March in order to attract bigger-name overseas athletes and to reward them on a par with IAAF gold-label race standards. The move comes as Tokyo prepares its bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. Final confirmation of the planned changes is expected in June.

Last year the IAAF released a worldwide rating of road races, with 12 major events such as the London and New York marathons receiving the highest label `gold.` The Tokyo Marathon received only a `silver` rating. The IAAF standards for a gold rating include international television broadcast in at least 5 countries as well as both elite men`s and women`s fields. While New York is broadcast in 50 countries, the Tokyo Marathon`s domestic-only broadcast has contributed to low interest levels among international media.

Because Tokyo is a selection race for the Olympics and World Championships, the men`s field to date has included both world-class foreign and domestic athletes. However, the women`s field has not yet included runners of the same caliber. As Tokyo moves forward with preparations for its 2016 Olympic bid, the Tokyo Marathon has recognized the need to bring itself up to the standards necessary to make it a truly top-class international event.

Among IAAF gold-label events, the New York City Marathon offers 1st-place prize money of $130,000, while the London Marathon offers winners $55,000. The Tokyo Marathon intends from now on to offer comparable prize purses.

With 30,000 runners, the Tokyo Marathon is the largest marathon in Asia. 156,000 people applied for this year`s race. Next year running will be the event`s 3rd running. The course offers a tour of many of Tokyo`s noteworthy areas, including Ginza and Asakusa, and is an excellent course for top runners targeting a fast time.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Rui Aoki and Shunsuke Kuwata Making U.S. Debut at United Airlines NYC Half

When the National University Half Marathon was canceled in 2011 after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan 2 days before the race, JRN talked to the New York Road Runners about bringing 2 collegiate runners to the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon the next weekend as a show of support. It wasn't possible to pull it together in the immediate aftermath of the disasters, but a year later we brought 2 young 2nd-years from Hakone Ekiden CR breaker Toyo University , Kento Otsu and Yuta Shitara , who had been the top 2 Japanese collegiate finishers at the Ageo City Half Marathon in November before Hakone. Shitara ran 1:01:48, at the time the fastest-ever by a Japanese man on U.S. soil, with Otsu running a solid 1:03:15. Thanks to that great start the Ageo-NYC partnership became a regular thing, and except for the pandemic it's continued every year since, expanding this year to June's New York Mini 10 km when 2 runners from Mt. Fuji Women's Ekiden runne...
2 comments
Read more

Kuwata Runs Fastest-Ever Half Marathon by Japanese Man Outside Japan at United Airlines NYC Half

When the NYRR changed the United Airlines NYC Half course back in 2018 to more or less its current Boston-style hilly one-way version it seemed like it had been repurposed from a fast course to something more tactical. That went out the window last year with new course records of 59:09 and 1:07:04 from Abel Kipchumba and Sharon Lokedi , and this year's results backed that up. Hellen Obiri ground Lokedi down and took over 30 seconds off her CR, winning in 1:06:33 with Lokedi only 6 seconds off what she ran in 2025 but a distant 2nd in 1:07:10. British road 10 km NR holder Megan Keith rolled up hard late in the race to finish 3rd in 1:07:13 less than 10 seconds off old CR too. The men's race saw a big group of 18 attack the hilly first half on sub-59 pace, American Joe Klecker leading through 5 km in 13:57 and Houston Marathon winner Zouhair Talbi through 10 km in 27:56. Right up in it was Shunsuke Kuwata , a 20-year-old 2nd-year at 2025 National University Ekiden champ Koma...
Post a Comment
Read more

16 Women and 26 Men on the Current Olympic Trials Qualifier List

Last weekend's Nagoya Women's Marathon and the Tokyo Marathon the weekend before brought the main part of the first year of qualification for the Marathon Grand Championship Race, Japan's L.A. Olympics marathon trials to be held in Nagoya in October, 2027, to an end. There are still a few races like the Nagano Marathon and overseas World Athletics platinum label races this season where people might qualify, but for the most part we're not likely to see many new additions until August's Hokkaido Marathon, where the qualifying period opened last year. As of right now 16 women and 26 men have qualified, although the first woman to make the cut, Ai Hosoda , announced that she was retiring after Tokyo earlier this month. Out of the 16 women to have qualified so far, Mikuni Yada is the fastest with her 2:19:57 debut at Osaka Women's in January. Including Hosoda that makes 2 qualifiers for the Edion corporate team, but Daihatsu has the biggest share of the field so ...
1 comment
Read more