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Morimoto Will Not Replace Noguchi in Women's Marathon

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2008/news/track/marathon/news/20080811-OYT1T00548.htm

translated by Brett Larner

Japanese Olympic women's marathon team alternate Tomo Morimoto (Team Tenmaya) will not be available to replace injured team member Mizuki Noguchi (Team Sysmex) should Noguchi be unable to compete in Beijing, Morimoto's coach Yutaka Taketomi told the Yomiuri Newspaper on Aug. 11. "There isn't enough time left for Morimoto to get ready and we wouldn't want to raise unrealistic expectations, so I won't be sending her," Taketomi said. He went on to explain that Morimoto has an injury to her right leg and thus has been taking a break from hard training recently. Morimoto was dropped from the Japanese Olympic team roster on July 30, but on Aug. 10 Rikuren officials contacted Team Tenmaya to enquire about her availability.

Should Noguchi withdraw from the Olympic marathon, Japan will field only two runners, Reiko Tosa (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) and Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya).

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