Start Lists for Beijing Paralympics Marathon

by Brett Larner

Japan will field three athletes in the visually impaired division of the Sept. 17 Beijing Paralympics Marathon and eight in the two wheelchair divisions. Leading the team is visually impaired division defending gold medalist Yuichi Takahashi. Takahashi has said his target is 2:30 but will face serious competition from world record holder Henry Wanyoike of Kenya, who ran 2:31:31 earlier this season, as well as from Tunisia's Abderrahim Zhiou, 2:32:52, and Italy's Fabrizio Cocchi, 2:33:20.

Visually Impaired Division - T12
Yuichi Takahashi, 43, SB: 2:39:02
Masahito Niino, 51, SB: 2:49:05
Hiroaki Kajisa, 34, SB: 2:56:51

Wheelchair Division - T54
Masazumi Soejima, 38, SB: 1:21:23
Hiroki Sasahara, 34, SB: 1:29:12
Kota Hokinoue, 34, SB: 1:29:42
Hiroyuki Yamamoto, 42, SB: 1:30:40
Choke Yasuoka, 35, SB: 1:37:14
Jun Hiromichi, 34, SB: 1:39:37

Impaired Limb Mobility Wheelchair Division - T52
Toshihiro Takada, 43, SB: 1:44:04
Hirokazu Ueyonabaru, 37, SB: 1:44:55

Complete start lists for the Beijing Paralympics Marathon are available here. All five divisions in the marathon begin together at 7:30 a.m. local time.

(c) 2008 Brett Larner
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