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Wanjiru's Resignation From Toyota Kyushu Still Unsettled As He Looks to the Future

originally published in the Nikkei Newspaper, 8/25/08

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Beijing Olympics men's marathon winner Samuel Wanjiru confirmed after Sunday's race that he had sent a letter of resignation to Team Toyota Kyushu. He intends to remain based in Japan but wishes to follow his own path. "From now on I want to focus on the marathon by myself. I don't want to spend my time running ekidens," said Wanjiru.

Toyota Kyushu received Wanjiru's letter of resignation in late June after he had returned to Kenya for his Olympic preparations. Toyota Kyushu representatives commented, "We don't think he has moved to another company, but since this happend shortly before the Olympics we didn't want to disturb Wanjiru and haven't made any attempt to contact him. When he comes back to Japan we expect to settle the matter." Wanjiru plans to travel to Kenya after leaving Beijing, then will return to Japan in early September.

Asked to comment, Team Toyota Kyushu head coach and Barcelona Olympic marathon silver medalist Koichi Morishita, in Hokkaido at a team training camp, said, "We cheered him on together as a former teammate. He is a great source of motivation for us all." Wanjiru's high school coach, Sendai Ikuei High School track and field coach Takao Watanabe, said that Wanjiru called him just after the marathon to say, "Hey man, I got the gold!" Watanabe went to add, smiling, "Ever since his first year of high school Wanjiru said he wanted to be an Olympic marathon medalist. He did it so soon."
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