by Brett Larner
There is a busy weekend ahead domestically and abroad, on the roads and on the track for Japan's distance athletes. At Sunday's Nagano Marathon, civil servant runner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) will seek to become the first Japanese man to win in Nagano's fifteen-year history in his fourth marathon of the year. His main competition comes in the form of Kenyan Silas Sang, who set his 2:09:10 best in finishing 2nd last year. Also of note is former national record holder Atsushi Fujita (Team Fujitsu), running his final race before retiring. Kenyans Beatrice Jepkemboi and Esther Nganga are the favorites in the women's race, with Mika Okunaga (Yufuin Hammock AC) leading the domestic contingent.
Overseas, the unfortunate withdrawal this week of the promising Bunta Kuroki (Team Yasukawa Denki) from the London Marathon men's field means that Japan's Moscow World Championships marathon team is all but finalized with five 2:08 men. Five w…
There is a busy weekend ahead domestically and abroad, on the roads and on the track for Japan's distance athletes. At Sunday's Nagano Marathon, civil servant runner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) will seek to become the first Japanese man to win in Nagano's fifteen-year history in his fourth marathon of the year. His main competition comes in the form of Kenyan Silas Sang, who set his 2:09:10 best in finishing 2nd last year. Also of note is former national record holder Atsushi Fujita (Team Fujitsu), running his final race before retiring. Kenyans Beatrice Jepkemboi and Esther Nganga are the favorites in the women's race, with Mika Okunaga (Yufuin Hammock AC) leading the domestic contingent.
Overseas, the unfortunate withdrawal this week of the promising Bunta Kuroki (Team Yasukawa Denki) from the London Marathon men's field means that Japan's Moscow World Championships marathon team is all but finalized with five 2:08 men. Five w…