About World XC - Yuki Sato (updated)

translated by Brett Larner

This is a post Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin) made on his blog on Mar. 15.

Because of the recent major earthquake in northeastern Japan I've decided not to run in the World Cross Country Championships in Spain.

Japan will be sending a team to the championships but they've left it up to us to decide individually whether or not we run. I just don't feel like I want to, and my legs are not 100%, so taking it all into account I've decided to scrap the idea of going.

I wanted to go and run a race that would give the people back home at least a little good news, but in my current condition I don't think that's the kind of race it would end up as.

My goal now is to do the work I can to heal my spirit so that in my next race I can give everyone my share of the good news they need.

Translator's note: Junior team members Yuma Hattori and Natsumi Yoshida are both students at Sendai Ikuei H.S. in one of the area hardest-hit by last week's earthquake and tsunami, and their participation at this point looks unlikely. Senior women's team leader Hitomi Niiya (Team Toyota Jidoshoki) is based in Sakura, Chiba, another area badly damaged by the disasters, and it would be surprising if she joined the team in Spain. Senior women Yuko Shimizu and Korei Omata (both Team Sekisui Kagaku) and junior woman Yuriko Kosaki (Narita H.S.) are also based in Chiba. Junior women's team leader Katsuki Suga (Kojokan H.S.) is confirmed to be running.

Update: Yusuke Takabayashi (Team Toyota) has confirmed to JRN that he is running despite injury troubles.

Comments

Anonymous said…

Why not just raise Japan's spirit by going anyway, and bringing back a medal?

March 17, 2011 at 12:42 AM

Anonymous said…

It's not that simple. It might seem the more 'heroic' option is to go, but Sato might have family and friends who need him now.

And even if there isn't anyone relying on him back home, i can only imagine it'll be hard to raise your spirits for a race, given what has happened.

At the end of the day, it's only just running.

March 17, 2011 at 9:46 PM

Brett Larner said…

My take on his comments is that he wanted to go over and do something big but is injured. World XC team member Yusuke Takabayashi told JRN yesterday that he is also having injury troubles but has gone to Spain and will give it a shot.

March 18, 2011 at 9:35 AM

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