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Marathoner Kawauchi Vows To Carry On As An Amateur

http://www.asahi.com/sports/spo/TKY201109060696.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Colleagues admire Kawauchi's World Championships team silver medal. Click photo to enlarge.

After finishing 18th at the Sept. 4 World Championships marathon in Daegu, Korea and helping the Japanese national team win a silver medal, Yuki Kawauchi returned to work at Kasukabe High School Sept. 6.  Showing up for the first time since the race as usual wearing a backpack over his white dress shirt, Kawauchi was greeted in the office by a round of enthusiastic applause and congratulations from his colleagues.  Normally working in the afternoon and evening, Kawauchi arrived at work half an hour earlier than usual.  He said that due to intense soreness in his calves and thighs he had only been able to run 30 minutes that morning.

Showing his silver medal to principal Toshio Matsuda, Kawauchi recounted his race.  "'You're the pride of Wasimiya Junior High School!' and other messages …

"The Rocky of the Marathon World" - Saitama Governor Praises Kawauchi (updated)

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/news/20110228-OYT1T00190.htm?from=y10
http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2011/02/28/0003832907.shtml
http://mytown.asahi.com/areanews/saitama/TKY201102270461.html
"Amateur Kawauchi 3rd" by Daisuke Yamaguchi, Nikkei Newspaper 2/28/11

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Update: Reader vilagoiberia sent me a link to this video of the last 6.5 km of Kawauchi's run.



Kawauchi with his bronze medal, after regaining consciousness. Click photo to enlarge.

He did it, he's on the national team. At the Feb. 27 Tokyo Marathon, Yuki Kawauchi, 23, an administrative worker at Saitama Prefectural Kasukabe High School, ran 2:08:37 to finish as the top Japanese man and 3rd overall. In so doing he secured a place on the Japanese national team for this summer's World Championships in Daegu, Korea, earning joyful respect and praise from those connected to him.

Kawauchi began working for the Saitama Prefectural Government in April, 2009, taking a job as an adminis…