Skip to main content

About World XC - Yuki Sato (updated)

http://ameblo.jp/gogoyuki1126/

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.
Labels:

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
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Keita Sato Joins Swoosh TC

After appearing at a Nike event on Apr. 3, U20 1500 m NR and indoor 3000 m and 5000 m NR holder Keita Sato , 22, updated his Instagram profile to announce that he is joining Nike's Swoosh TC . At the Nike event Sato said that he plans to run the 1500 m at the Apr. 11 Kanaguri Memorial Meet, then will move to the U.S. "To be successful at the global level I need to train and grow alongside world-class athletes," he said. "I have to take every day seriously in order to achieve that dream of being internationally competitive." Swoosh TC was founded last year. Its coach Mike Smith has guided many athletes to international championships, including prior to Swoosh TC's launch, with some earning medals and podium finishes under his leadership. photo © 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved source article: https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/204241/2 translated by Brett Larner
Post a Comment
Read more

Updates on Transfers

April 1 is the start of Japan's new academic and fiscal year, and there's always a wave of transfer announcements to go with it. Some notable ones yesterday: 800 m NR holder Rin Kubo skipped university to go straight to 2023 Queens Ekiden national champion Sekisui Kagaku after her graduation from Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S. Multiple NR holder Nozomi Tanaka rejoined the Toyota Jidoshokki women's team after having left it to pursue a solo pro career as a New Balance athlete. Already on the team for this fall's Nagoya Asian Games in the 10000 m, Ririka Hironaka announced a switch from her longtime home at Japan Post to the Uniqlo women's team. Collegiate marathon record holder Asahi Kuroda joined the 2026 national champion GMO corporate team after graduating from 2026 Hakone Ekiden champ Aoyama Gakuin University last week. Hakone Ekdien First Stage CR holder Rui Aoki joins the Sumitomo Denko corporate team after running his final race for 2025 Izumo Ekiden w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Chien Breaks TPE NR, Iwata Betters ID-Class WR - Weekend Track Roundup

The last weekend of the academic and fiscal year saw at least 5 meets with good results domestically and abroad. Kicking things off Friday was the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, where Tomohiro Shinno and Naoto Hasegawa took 1st and 3rd in the men's high jump, both of them only clearing 2.18 m along with 2nd-placer Roman Anastasios . 12 other Japanese athletes were in action on the second day of the meet on Saturday, where 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura ran 3:42.84 for 6th in the men's 1500 m. Nagiya Mori had a better one in the men's 3000 m with a 7:45.40 for 4th. Both Yota Mashiko and Rui Suzuki cleared 8:00 too, Mashiko's 7:53.84 the 2nd-fastest ever by a Japanese-born high schooler. Abigail Fuka Ido and Nagisa Takahashi both placed 3rd in their events, Ido going 23.85 (-0.9) in the women's 200 m and Takahashi clearing 1.82 m in the women's high jump. 8 Japanese men were at The TEN in California to run 10000 m. In the B-heat won by Edward Marks in ...
2 comments
Read more