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Hanada and Hara to Collaborate on New GMO Internet Corporate Team

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20160229-00000191-sph-spo

translated by Brett Larner

On Mar. 1 the major telecommunications company GMO Internet announced the launch of a new GMO Athletes corporate running team in April.  Resigning from his position at Jobu University, Katsuhiko Hanada, 44, will be the team's first head coach, with two-time Hakone Ekiden champion Aoyama Gakuin University head coach Susumu Hara, 48, serving as adviser.  The team's initial lineup includes current Aoyama Gakuin University fourth-years Ryo Hashimoto and Toshinori Watanabe, both of whom made their marathon debuts Sunday at the Tokyo Marathon.

Hanada graduated from Waseda University and ran for the S&B corporate team, running at both the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.  Becoming head coach at Jobu University in 2004, he developed the brand-new Jobu team into Hakone Ekiden regulars.  The GMO team marks the launch of the Hara Project, a concept aimed at developing working runners into 2020 Tokyo Olympics medalists.

GMO Athletes
head coach - Katsuhiko Hanada
advisor - Susumu Hara, Aoyama Gakuin University

Shun Sato (Jobu University) - 2:11:39 (Tokyo Marathon 2015)
Hiroki Yamagishi (Jobu University) - 2:12:27 (Tokyo Marathon 2016)
Shohei Kurata (Jobu University) - 28:35.00 (Kanto Time Trials 2015)
Ryo Hashimoto (Aoyama Gakuin University) - 2:14:38 (Tokyo Marathon 2016)
Toshinori Watanabe (Aoyama Gakuin University) - 2:16:01 (Tokyo Marathon 2016)
Hirotaka Miki (Aoyama Gakuin University) - 2:24:49 (Okayama Marathon 2015)

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