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Hakone Ekiden Releases 2009 Entry Lists

http://www.47news.jp/CN/200812/CN2008121001000909.html
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20081210-00000147-jij-spo

translated and edited by Brett Larner

On Dec. 10 the Hakone Ekiden released the 16-member entry lists for each of the 23 schools running next year's 85th edition to be held Jan. 2-3. The organizers released the information in junction with a panel discussion in Ebisu, Tokyo, featuring top teams' coaches.

Defending champion Komazawa Univ. is fielding a lineup featuring all of its big guns, including captain Soji Ikeda and aces Takuya Fukatsu and Tsuyoshi Ugachi. Komazawa head coach Hiroaki Oyagi confidently proclaimed, "We are in excellent condition. We'll be looking at the top 3 but running to win."

2008 runner-up Waseda Univ. has included Beijing 5000 m and 10000 m Olympian Kensuke Takezawa on its roster, but in view of his ongoing injury problems, most recently damage to his right Achilles tendon, it won't be known until race day whether he will start the race. The other Japanese 27-minute 10000 m runner in the field, Tokai Univ. ace Yuki Sato, is also suffering from leg injuries, throwing doubt on his chances of scoring a fourth new stage record.

2008 3rd-place finisher Chuo Gakuin University will send 2008 World Half Marathon national team member Masato Kihara. 2008 World Half Marathon Kenyan national team member Mekubo Mogusu of Yamanashi Gakuin Univ. will have a final showdown with rival Daniel Gitau of Nihon Univ. following the pair's duel in November's All-Nihon University Ekiden Championship.

Toyo Univ. will be allowed to participate despite a recent sexual assault scandal involving a 2nd-year steeplechase runner on the school's track team. Toyo head coach Shinji Kawashima resigned last week over the incident, leaving assistant coach Nao Sato to take over the team's leadership. Sato commented, "We're grateful that we were still allowed to participate. Everything was going really well when this incident happened, so perhaps it was punishment for our arrogance. We hope that the public will forgive us." Toyo's squad will feature its two aces, fourth-year Tomoya Onishi and first-year Ryuji Kashiwabara.

The 10-member starting lists for the 2009 Hakone Ekiden will be released Dec. 29.
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