Skip to main content

Wanjiru, Shibui Headline Sapporo International Half Marathon

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2009061900760
http://sports.nikkei.co.jp/index.aspx?n=SSXKF0540%2019062009

translated and edited by Brett Larner

On June 19 Rikuren released the elite field for this year's 52nd Sapporo International Half Marathon, to be held July 5. Headlining the men's field of 8 invited athletes is world record holder and Beijing Olympics men's marathon gold medalist Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya. The domestic elite men's field includes Berlin World Championships marathoners Atsushi Sato (Team Chugoku Denryoku) and Arata Fujiwara (Team JR Higashi Nihon) as well as 2008 World Half Marathon 5th place finisher Yusei Nakao (Team Toyota Boshoku).

The women's field of 11 is led by three of Japan's World Championships marathon squad, defending champion Yuri Kano (Second Wind AC), Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo), and Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido). Also in the field are Beijing Olympics marathoner Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya), 2008 Honolulu Marathon winner Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) and Shimahara's teammate Akemi Ozaki (Second Wind AC).

The Sapporo International Half Marathon will serve as the final selection race for the national team for October's World Half Marathon Championships in the U.K.

Translator's note: The race will be broadcast from 1:30 p.m. to 2:55 p.m. on July 5. Overseas viewers should be able to watch with the Keyhole TV software available here. Wanjiru is also rumored to be headlining another major Japanese race in the upcoming winter season.
Labels:

Comments

kevin said…
I want to run the Sapporo half marathon. I can't read Japanese. how do you sign up? I think Nakamura will win cause she showed great speed on the track and at Yamaguchi half marathon.
June 23, 2009 at 4:54 AM
kevin said…
I don't Shibui will win. She not that great of a half marathoner. She only ran 70:27 at Yamaguchi in 2008. Nakamura ran 1:10:00 27 seconds faster. I think 1st is Nakamura, 2nd Kano, 3rd, Fujingaga, and 4th Shibui.
June 23, 2009 at 4:57 AM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...
1 comment
Read more

Hakone Ekiden Qualifying Race Entry Roster Sizes Increased from 14 to 16

Hakone Ekiden organizers KGRR have announced details for the qualifying half marathon for next year's 103rd Hakone Ekiden. The Yosenkai qualifying race will be held Oct. 17 in Tachikawa, Tokyo. The combined times of the 10 fastest finishers from each participating team will be used for team scoring, with the 10 fastest teams going on the the main event next January and top-placing individuals from teams that do not qualify being names to the Kanto Region Student Alliance select team. One change from previous years is that the number of runners each school can enter has been increased from 14 to 16. Teams will still only be allowed to have from 10 to 12 athletes on the starting line, but the move gives coaches greater flexibility in making the final decision on their starting rosters. No changes have been made to the qualifying times of 34:00 for 10000 m or 1:13:00 for the half marathon, and the new earlier starting time of 8:30 a.m. introduced last year in an effort to mitigate ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nomura and Odagiri Go 3-4 at Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km

2010 Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km Nijmegen, Netherlands, 11/21/10 Women click here for complete women's results 1. Genet Getaneh (Ethiopia) - 47:53 2. Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) - 48:07 3. Sayo Nomura (Meijo Univ.) - 49:43 4. Aki Odagiri (Meijo Univ.) - 51:37 5. Benita Willis (Australia) - 51:51 Men click here for complete men's results 1. Leonard Patrick Komon (Kenya) - 41:13 - WR 2. Abera Kuma (Ethiopia) - 42:01 3. Ayele Abshiro (Ethiopia) - 42:01 4. Abraham Kiplimo (Uganda) - 43:03 5. Berhanu Delale (Ethiopia) - 43:08 ----- 14. Kazuya Watanabe (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 45:31
Post a Comment
Read more