http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/sports/0004831749.shtml
translated by Brett Larner
On Feb. 21 Beijing Olympic marathoner Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya) announced that she has withdrawn from her planned run at the Mar. 11 Nagoya Women's Marathon because she has not been able to get into good enough shape. The final selection race for the London Olympics marathon team, her withdrawal means that Nakamura has given up on trying to repeat as an Olympic marathoner.
Nakamura won her debut marathon at the 2008 Nagoya International Women's Marathon and finished 13th at the Beijing Olympics later that year. However, running for the Okayama Prefecture team at January's National Women's Ekiden she finished only 42nd on the First Stage. According to Tenmaya head coach Yutaka Taketomi, during her training in late January Nakamura was not getting back into shape. "Even if she started, she is in no shape to run," he said in explaining the decision to pull her from Nagoya. "London has been her goal ever since Beijing, so it's very unfortunate. I decided to take her out in order to work on turning her back around." Tenmaya's Risa Shigetomo is a favorite to make the London team after winning the Jan. 29 Osaka International Women's Marathon.
Translator's note: Nakamura was the only Japanese woman to finish the Beijing Olympic marathon. Since her promising debut in 2008 every marathon she has run has been a PW.
translated by Brett Larner
On Feb. 21 Beijing Olympic marathoner Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya) announced that she has withdrawn from her planned run at the Mar. 11 Nagoya Women's Marathon because she has not been able to get into good enough shape. The final selection race for the London Olympics marathon team, her withdrawal means that Nakamura has given up on trying to repeat as an Olympic marathoner.
Nakamura won her debut marathon at the 2008 Nagoya International Women's Marathon and finished 13th at the Beijing Olympics later that year. However, running for the Okayama Prefecture team at January's National Women's Ekiden she finished only 42nd on the First Stage. According to Tenmaya head coach Yutaka Taketomi, during her training in late January Nakamura was not getting back into shape. "Even if she started, she is in no shape to run," he said in explaining the decision to pull her from Nagoya. "London has been her goal ever since Beijing, so it's very unfortunate. I decided to take her out in order to work on turning her back around." Tenmaya's Risa Shigetomo is a favorite to make the London team after winning the Jan. 29 Osaka International Women's Marathon.
Translator's note: Nakamura was the only Japanese woman to finish the Beijing Olympic marathon. Since her promising debut in 2008 every marathon she has run has been a PW.
Comments
Nagoya should be a dynamite race...last train to London, and likely a sayonara run for several women in the field!
Brendan Reilly