Skip to main content

Four Corporate Women's Teams Wrap Up Joint Training Camp in Nagasaki

http://www.nagasaki-np.co.jp/kiji/20120529/02.shtml

translated by Brett Larner

Corporate women's track and field teams Juhachi Ginko and Kagoshima Ginko of Kagoshima, Higo Ginko of Kumamoto and Toto of Fukuoka, began a joint training camp together in Shimahara, Nagasaki on May 21.  Fifty athletes participated in the nine day, eight night program in and around the Shimahara Municipal Track and Field Grounds and Shimahara Fukko Arena.

The joint training camp was the brainchild of Team Juhachi Ginko head coach Koji Takagi.  Through the assistance of the parent Juhachi Ginko bank, Takagi was able to enlist the brand-new bank-sponsored Kagoshima Ginko and Higo Ginko teams, training together for the first time last July in Kuju, Oita.  For the second joint camp this time they were invited to Shimahara, the site of Team Juhachi Ginko's regular training camps.  Team Toto was a new addition.

The athletes' training at the camp including shifting pace 10000 m and 5000 m track runs, road running, and cross-country runs on a course a Shimahara Country Club.  On the 28th the athletes did a workout on the track at the Municipal Grounds, 10 x 2000 m starting every 30 minutes, a session designed to develop their mental and spiritual strength.

On the ekiden circuit the teams and many of the athletes are rivals with each other.  Asked about the benefits of working together, Team Juhachi Ginko ace Madoka Ogi said, "It's different from normal.  Where we might normally pack it in we're finding extra strength because we all feel like we don't want to lose to each other."

Joining the camp for the first time, Team Toto head coach Aki Yokoyama commented with satisfaction, "Ordinarily we're dealing with a small number of athletes and they know exactly what kind of shape they are in, so you rarely see them give their full effort in the last stages of a run.  Here it's closer to a race atmosphere, so they're able to work on their closing speed more than usual."  Watching the athletes run, Coach Takagi said, "If we focus on the job at hand, this is also an opportunity for the staff to learn from each other and improve our own work."

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Wanjiru Breaks Own MR, Fuwa and Ishida Return - Kanto Regionals Day 1 Highlights

Japan's best college meet kicked off Thursday at Tokyo's National Stadium at the 103rd Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships . Looking like she was doing a controlled tempo run, 2nd-yr Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) lapped the entire field to win the women's 10000 m in a meet record 32:02.87, almost 15 seconds under the record she last year in her debut. 3rd-yr Aoi Takahashi (Josai Univ.) was 2nd in 33:29.22 and 2nd-yr Nana Nagashima (Josai Kokusai Univ.) 3rd in a PB 33:30.28, but the other main news alongside Wanjiru's new record was the return of collegiate 10000 m record holder Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) in her first 10000 m in 19 months. Fuwa hung at the back of the chase pack for the first half, made a move to lead it in the second half, and ultimately faded to 9th in 33:40.20. Every comeback has to start somewhere. The D1 men's 10000 m had a tight group up front with the top 6 all finishing within 6 seconds and under 28:10. 3rd-yr Jam

Two-Time Olympic Marathon Medalist Erick Wainaina Referred to Prosectors on Suspicion of Assault

  According to investigators, two-time Olympic marathon medalist Erick Wainaina has had his case referred to prosecutors after allegedly injuring a railway employee by striking him in the face at a station in Setagaya, Tokyo. Wainaina, 50, was the bronze medalist in the marathon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and won silver in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Wainaina is suspected of assaulting a woman in her late teens and a male Tokyo Denentoshi Line employee by hitting them in the face during an altercation at Komazawa University Station in March this year, resulting in minor injuries to the man's face. According to investigators, the incident began on the train between Wainaina and the woman, and after getting off at Komazawa University Station he hit her in the face when she asked him to go to the station office with her to report it. When the male railway employee responded to the situation Wainaina reportedly hit him too. In response to questioning Wainaina is said to have answered,

Police Arrest 20-Year-Old Man Charged With Assaulting Female Runner at Popular Tokyo Running Spot

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a female runner along the banks of the Tama River in Ota Ward, Tokyo. "I've been stuck at home because of the coronavirus, so I wanted to go for a walk and move my body a bit," the man told police. Local resident Hirai Muroyama , 20, of no known occupation, was arrested on charges of sexual assault. He is accused of acts including grabbing the breasts of a woman in her 20s at around 10 p.m. on May 31 along the banks of the Tama River. According to police, the woman was taking a break in her run when Muroyama approached her silently from behind and grabbed her breasts before running away. Under police interrogation Muroyama told investigators, "I've been stuck at home because of the coronavirus, so I wanted to go out for a walk and move my body. I'd had a few drinks and was feeling pretty hype. She was totally my type." source article: https://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newsey