Skip to main content

Akaba 6th in PB at London Marathon (updated)

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/100426/spg1004261040004-n1.htm
http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/100425/spg1004252333011-n1.htm
http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2010042500237

translated and edited by Brett Larner

At Sunday's London Marathon, 2009 World Championships marathoner Yukiko Akaba (30, Team Hokuren) broke her PB as she finished 6th in 2:24:55. Mari Ozaki (34, Team Noritz) was 9th, while 2009 World Championships silver medalist Yoshimi Ozaki (28, Team Daiichi Seimei) was 13th. On the men's side, 2009 World Championships marathoner Satoshi Irifune (34, Team Kanebo) was 16th while 5000 m and 30 km national record holder Takayuki Matsumiya (Team Konica Minolta) was 23rd. Both Irifune and Matsumiya ran the first half in the lead pack close to national record pace. Beijing Olympics bronze medalist Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) won the men's race in 2:05:19 while Liliya Shobukhova (Russia) took the women's race in a PB of 2:22:00.

After her disastrous runs at the World Championships and January's Osaka International Women's Marathon, Akaba was happy with her performance as she cleared her target of a new PB. "This was a satisfying race," she said afterwards with a smile. With rainy conditions Akaba developed blisters after only 5 km. At 33 km, she said, "I thought I was going to have to stop," but she pushed on to the finish and was rewarded with a new best. "My training this time was good," she told reporters. "Everything went according to our training plan. I had a lot of support from my husband and daughter and I owe them everything for this success."

For World Championships medalist Ozaki the race was less satisfying. Hopes for her were high, but she fell out of the lead pack after only 20 km and finished third among the three Japanese women in the field, 9 minutes off her PB. Following her strong showing at the Mar. 21 National Jitsugyodan Half Marathon, in early April Ozaki began to suffer from fatigue but did not cut back on her training. "I just couldn't get back to feeling right," she said. Nervous about whether to go through with London she thought, "If you don't try and run you won't know," but the possible overtraining symptoms combined with arriving in London two days late due to the Icelandic volcano proved too much for her. Finishing 13th overall, she said, "I'm not surprised at all. I felt terrible." Last year she finished 2nd at the World Championships, but looking at the athletes around her in London Ozaki modestly admitted, "I still need to make a lot of improvement in my running." Amid this disappointment she added, "Now I know what it feels like to run on empty."

2010 London Marathon - Top Finishers
click here for complete results
Women
1. Liliya Shobukhova (Russia) - 2:22:00 - PB
2. Inga Abitova (Russia) - 2:22:19 - PB
3. Aselefech Mergia (Ethiopia) - 2:22:38 - PB
4. Bezunesh Bekele (Ethiopia) - 2:23:17
5. Askale Tafe (Ethiopia) - 2:24:39
6. Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren) - 2:24:55 - PB
7. Xue Bai (China) - 2:25:18
8. Kim Smith (New Zealand) - 2:25:21 - NR, PB
9. Mari Ozaki (Team Noritz) - 2:25:43
10. Mara Yamauchi (GBR) - 2:26:16
-----
13. Yoshimi Ozaki (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 2:32:26

Men
1. Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) - 2:05:19
2. Emmanuel Mutai (Kenya) - 2:06:23
3. Jaouad Gharib (Morocco) - 2:06:55
4. Abderrahime Bouramdane (Morocco) - 2:07:33 - PB
5. Abel Kirui (Kenya) - 2:08:04
6. Marilson Dos Santos (Brazil) - 2:08:46
7. Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea) - 2:12:03 - PB
8. Andrew Lemoncello (GBR) - 2:13:40 - debut
9. Yonas Kifle (Eritrea) - 2:14:39
10. Andi Jones (GBR) - 2:16:38 - PB
-----
16. Satoshi Irifune (Team Kanebo) - 2:19:25
23. Takayuki Matsumiya (Team Konica Minolta) - 2:21:34
DNF - Samuel Wanjiru (Kenya)

Comments

Marcos said…
Hola Brett
que le sucedio a Yoshimi Ozaki? por que ella coriio mal en London ? ESTABA ELLA ENFERMA LESIONADA? Ozaki deseaba correr 2:21 y termino 13 a 2:32:26 por que? tiene alguna informacion sobre su condicion?
muchas gracias , saludos desde Chile.
Brett Larner said…
Marcos--

Sorry, I was a little busy yesterday and didn't have time to update this article with info on the Japanese runners. Sounds like Ozaki was overtrained and tired from travel. I think she was the last Japanese runner to arrive in London. Too bad, but I'm sure she'll be back.
Simon Phillips said…
I met a Japanese support squad from Ozaki's Daiichi company packing away their flags and banners on the 25th mile on Sunday after the women's race had concluded. 'Forlorn' would be a good description...

Nice that Akaba finally had a good run though.
Brett Larner said…
Hi Simon. Yes, I'm sure D.S. are not too happy, but before the race Ozaki said she didn't feel any pressure so hopefully she will take the experience and move on.

Likewise yes, I'm glad Akaba put something good together too. It wasn't fantastic but considering the travel headaches that was pretty good. And with blisters.

Most-Read This Week

Chepkirui Over Sato Again to Win 2nd-Straight Nagoya Women's Marathon, Chen Breaks Malaysian NR (updated)

This year's Nagoya Women's Marathon felt like a changing of the guard, with some the bigger domestic names over the last few years fading early and a lot of newer faces stepping up with quality debuts or second marathons. The front group was set to be paced for 2:20 flat with the 2nd group at 2:23:30 to hit the auto-qualifying time for the 2027 MGC Race, Japan's L.A. Olympics marathon trials race in Nagoya. Up front things went out OK, but after a 33:10 split at 10 km Ayuko Suzuki , 2:21:22 here 2 years ago, lost touch, ultimately finishing 23rd in 2:33:28. Windy conditions started to play with pacers' ability to keep things steady and the pace slowed majorly over the next 10 km, but even with a 34:05 second 10 km there were big-name casualties. 2024 Nagoya winner Yuka Ando was next to drop, ending up 17th in 2:30:32. NR holder Honami Maeda was next, followed quickly by Bahraini Kenyan Eunice Chumba and debuting Wakana Kabasawa . Maeda faded to 21st in 2:31:21, whil...

Nagoya Women's Marathon Preview and Streaming (updated)

Japan's winter marathon season of 6 major races in 7-straight weekends wraps up Sunday with the world's largest women-only marathon, the Nagoya Women's Marathon . The weather is looking pretty good, 6˚ at the start rising to 10˚ by the finish and sunny skies, but a moderate 7 m/s NW wind means a headwind finish that might impact the potential for some fast times. Official streaming kicks off at 9:00 a.m. local time. Live results will be here . Sheila Chepkirui won last year in 2:20:40, breaking away from Sayaka Sato and Eunice Chebichii Chumba at 30 km and hanging on for the win. Sato negative split a 2:20:59 PB for 2nd, Chumba fading to 3rd in 2:21:36. All 3 are back this time, but they have pretty serious competition from Aynalem Desta , 2:17:37 in Amsterdam last fall, and Selly Chepyego Kaptich , 2:20:03 in Barcelona 2023. And of course, Japanese NR holder Honami Maeda . Maeda ran 2:18:59 at the Osaka International Women's Marathon in 2024 to make the Paris Oly...

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 ...