by Brett Larner
The last selection race for the team Japan will send to compete in the Beijing Olympics men's marathon took place on Mar. 2 at the Biwako Mainichi Marathon. Unlike the American one-race-one-chance system, Japan uses 3 domestic selection races to decide its Olympic marathon teams, December's Fukuoka International Marathon, February's Tokyo Marathon, and Biwako, with last summer’s World Championships also factoring in to this year's selection process. Japanese men have a respectable history of Olympic and World Championships medals, but no Japanese man has ever won gold at the Olympic level. Naoko Takahashi and Mizuki Noguchi’s gold medals at the Sydney and Athens Olympics have created the impression in Japan that its men are not up to the same level as its women. Media commentators bemoan the 'inadequacy' of Japanese men and the absence of any new stars on the horizon. The pressure is on for Japan’s male marathoners to excel.
Atsushi Sato is the best current prospect. An ace ekiden runner with the Chugoku Denryoku professional team, Sato stepped up last fall with an Asian 1/2 marathon record at the World Road Running Championships before running a 2:07:13 at Fukuoka, the 4th fastest ever by a Japanese runner. Many believe him capable of running a 2:05, and he is certain to make the Olympic team.
After Sato, Biwako’s top Japanese finisher Satoshi Osaki is the next most likely to be selected. Osaki had solid marathon credentials going into Biwako, including a 2:08:46 PB, a bronze at the 2006 Asian Games, and 6th at the last World Championships. His 2:08:36 3rd place finish at Biwako puts one foot in the door; catching 2nd place finisher Yared Asmerom of Eritrea, who finished 2 seconds ahead of Osaki, would have all but sealed it.
The choice for 3rd man is far less clear. Veteran Tsuyoshi Ogata ran a brave race in the World Championships, coming from behind catch bronze medal contenders Viktor Rothlin of Switzerland and Asmerom but was ultimately dropped by both and finished 5th. Ogata’s performance was the weakest of the Beijing contenders, but he has the most experience including a bronze at the 2005 World Championships and a PB of 2:08:37. Japan’s governing track and field body, Rikuren, loves experience, and is in fact currently hosting Ogata at a national training camp in New Zealand. His chances look good.
The biggest question mark is Arata Fujiwara. Fujiwara came from nowhere to finish 2nd in Tokyo in 2:08:40, a dramatic performance in which he dropped Kenyan Olympian Julius Gitahi in the final 2 km. Fujiwara was exactly what everyone was looking for, a young guy stepping up to challenge international-level foreign competition. Rikuren officials were uncharacteristically enthusiastic about his run, going so far as to say that it would take an overall win at Biwako for someone else to be selected.
While Osaki didn't win Biwako, his strong performance means Rikuren must now decide between a veteran with a weak qualifier and a newcomer with nothing to show but potential. For American readers, the situation would be similar if Khalid Khannouchi had a chance of being selected over Brian Sell. History points in favor of Ogata, as Paris World Championships 5th place finisher Shigeru Aburaya was picked for the Athens Olympics over national record holder Toshinari Takaoka’s 2:07:59 3rd place finish in the Fukuoka selection race. Whatever the outcome, Rikuren will announce its decision on Mar. 10 following the final women’s selection race.
(c) 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
The last selection race for the team Japan will send to compete in the Beijing Olympics men's marathon took place on Mar. 2 at the Biwako Mainichi Marathon. Unlike the American one-race-one-chance system, Japan uses 3 domestic selection races to decide its Olympic marathon teams, December's Fukuoka International Marathon, February's Tokyo Marathon, and Biwako, with last summer’s World Championships also factoring in to this year's selection process. Japanese men have a respectable history of Olympic and World Championships medals, but no Japanese man has ever won gold at the Olympic level. Naoko Takahashi and Mizuki Noguchi’s gold medals at the Sydney and Athens Olympics have created the impression in Japan that its men are not up to the same level as its women. Media commentators bemoan the 'inadequacy' of Japanese men and the absence of any new stars on the horizon. The pressure is on for Japan’s male marathoners to excel.
Atsushi Sato is the best current prospect. An ace ekiden runner with the Chugoku Denryoku professional team, Sato stepped up last fall with an Asian 1/2 marathon record at the World Road Running Championships before running a 2:07:13 at Fukuoka, the 4th fastest ever by a Japanese runner. Many believe him capable of running a 2:05, and he is certain to make the Olympic team.
After Sato, Biwako’s top Japanese finisher Satoshi Osaki is the next most likely to be selected. Osaki had solid marathon credentials going into Biwako, including a 2:08:46 PB, a bronze at the 2006 Asian Games, and 6th at the last World Championships. His 2:08:36 3rd place finish at Biwako puts one foot in the door; catching 2nd place finisher Yared Asmerom of Eritrea, who finished 2 seconds ahead of Osaki, would have all but sealed it.
The choice for 3rd man is far less clear. Veteran Tsuyoshi Ogata ran a brave race in the World Championships, coming from behind catch bronze medal contenders Viktor Rothlin of Switzerland and Asmerom but was ultimately dropped by both and finished 5th. Ogata’s performance was the weakest of the Beijing contenders, but he has the most experience including a bronze at the 2005 World Championships and a PB of 2:08:37. Japan’s governing track and field body, Rikuren, loves experience, and is in fact currently hosting Ogata at a national training camp in New Zealand. His chances look good.
The biggest question mark is Arata Fujiwara. Fujiwara came from nowhere to finish 2nd in Tokyo in 2:08:40, a dramatic performance in which he dropped Kenyan Olympian Julius Gitahi in the final 2 km. Fujiwara was exactly what everyone was looking for, a young guy stepping up to challenge international-level foreign competition. Rikuren officials were uncharacteristically enthusiastic about his run, going so far as to say that it would take an overall win at Biwako for someone else to be selected.
While Osaki didn't win Biwako, his strong performance means Rikuren must now decide between a veteran with a weak qualifier and a newcomer with nothing to show but potential. For American readers, the situation would be similar if Khalid Khannouchi had a chance of being selected over Brian Sell. History points in favor of Ogata, as Paris World Championships 5th place finisher Shigeru Aburaya was picked for the Athens Olympics over national record holder Toshinari Takaoka’s 2:07:59 3rd place finish in the Fukuoka selection race. Whatever the outcome, Rikuren will announce its decision on Mar. 10 following the final women’s selection race.
(c) 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
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