Skip to main content

Takaoka Nominated for JOC Overseas Training Study Position

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/flash/KFullFlash20100215134.html

translated by Brett Larner

On Feb. 15 the Japan Olympic Committee announced that Rikuren has nominated men's marathon national record holder Toshinari Takaoka, 39, to a special position researching overseas training methods. Takaoka, who retired last March and is now a coach with Team Kanebo, must undergo a round of interviews with the JOC before being named to the position. According to a person involved in the proceedings, if Takaoka is accepted he will be sent to the United States to study American altitude training and coaching methods.
Labels:

Comments

Brett Larner said…
Takaoka has the Japanese marathon record of 2:06:16 and ran under 2:08 on three other occasions. He also holds the 3000 m and 10000 m national records and at point held the 5000 m record. He attributed his success in the marathon to spending years working on his track speed before moving up, something largely missing in Japan. I think it is pretty likely he'll be looking largely at American success over 5000 m and, to a lesser degree, 10000 m.
February 18, 2010 at 2:34 PM
Macario said…
Hello, The Japan Olympic Committee and Toshinari Takaoka, may want to consider Silver City, NM USA ( 6,000 ft alt., foothills of the Gila Ntl. Forest, and ideal training weather). I coach at the local university and I am in contact with the Dr. that is in charge of the exercise physiology lab at the university. We would be supportive if the research would be done in Silver City.
February 19, 2010 at 4:08 AM
Simon Phillips said…
Brett, what do you think Takaoka could learn from US coaching methods? Would you say there is a general consensus / mood amongst Japan's distance coaches that new methods need to be incorporated to work their way out of the current malaise?
February 19, 2010 at 11:04 PM
Brett Larner said…
Simon--
I think the interview with Takaoka that I put up today suggests answers to your questions.
February 20, 2010 at 5:22 PM
Brett Larner said…
The agent who represented Takaoka in his professional career, Brendan Reilly, can also be reached here:

http://www.boulderwave.com/Site/Contact_Us.html

Many traditional Japanese arts are taught through observation of the master rather than direct instruction by the master. No need for anyone to spill their beans for Takaoka to learn from them.
February 22, 2010 at 5:19 PM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

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...
Post a 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

Tokyo Marathon Top Japanese Man Tsubasa Ichiyama Works 4 Days a Week, Walked On in College

38,000 people ran the 2025 Tokyo Marathon . Every runner had their own story, but one of the most special was Tsubasa Ichiyama (Sunbelx). Despite being on almost nobody's radar, he outran some of the best in the country to finish as the top Japanese man. Ichiyama ran most of the race in the 3rd pace group, going through halfway in 1:02:44 and 30 km in 1:29:13. When the pacers stopped, he showed what he could really do. "I'm not good at downhills, so in the first part it was hard to run smoothly," he said at the post-race press conference. "But after the downhill part ended I got into my rhythm, and I think that helped me over the 2nd half." After dropping Asian Games gold medalist Hiroto Inoue (Mitsubishi Juko) and others, he quickly bore down on the Japanese athletes who had gone out faster in the 2nd pace group. Overtaking Paris Olympics 6th placer Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko) and Yuhei Urano (Fujitsu), at 39.8 km he caught all-time Japanese #2 man Yohei I...
1 comment
Read more