Skip to main content

Takaoka Announces Retirement Following Tokyo Marathon

http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/general/track/news/20090317k0000m050018000c.html

translated by Brett Larner

Japanese men's 3000 m, 10000 m and marathon national record holder Toshinari Takaoka (38, Team Kanebo) held a press conference on Mar. 16 to announce that he will retire from professional running following the Mar. 22 Tokyo Marathon. On Apr. 1 he will join Team Kanebo's coaching staff.

The impetus for Takaoka's retirement came on Feb. 4 when he seriously strained the muscle in his left calf while training in Yamaguchi Prefecture for the Tokyo Marathon. "I felt that I'm no longer able to do ideal training for a serious marathon," Takaoka told reporters at the press conference in explaining his decision to retire. "I understood that it would be better if I made this race my last. I made the choice myself and I can accept it."

Takaoka is a native of Kyoto. He attended Rakunan High School and Ryukoku University before joining Team Kanebo in 1993. He ran track events at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympics, placing 7th in the 5000 m in Atlanta and 7th again in the 10000 m in Sydney. He set the Japanese national record of 2:06:16 at the 2002 Chicago Marathon but did not make the Athens or Beijing Olympic teams.

Takaoka reflected on his career. "Since I started in junior high school I have been a runner for 26 years. There are dreams of mine which didn't come true, but I have always given everything to be competitive at the world level. I still think about 'Being in the Olympic Marathon,' but I know that I was able to set my [marathon] record because I stayed focused on getting as fast as I could on the track until I was 31."

As a selection race for the World Championships marathon, the top Japanese finisher in Tokyo will be named to the national team. "If I were chosen for the team I would be delighted to wear the national uniform one more time," Takaoka admitted, but in light of the injury he revealed at the press conference it looks as though it will be difficult for him to come out on top this time.

Update: Another article with some other quotes can be found here.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Japan Post Holds Off Sekisui Kagaku to Win Queens Ekiden National Title

  Japan Post  was back on top at the Queens Ekiden corporate women's national championships Sunday in Sendai, holding off last year's winner Sekisui Kagaku  over the second half of a race that came as close as 1 second to take 1st with a final margin of victory of 27 seconds. Sekisui Kagaku was out fast with a win on the 7.0 km opening leg by Erika Tanoura  and a new CR for the 12:56 second leg by Yuma Yamamoto , 17 seconds better than her own CR from last year. Last year's 4th-placer Shiseido  briefly led on the 10.6 km third leg with an excellent 33:17 stage win from Rino Goshima , but behind her Japan Post's Ririka Hironaka  returned from her latest injury problems to pass Sekisui Kagaku's Sayaka Sato  and hand off 6 seconds ahead. New recruit Caroline Kariba  ran Shiseido down on the 3.6 km fourth leg and put Japan Post 22 seconds ahead of Sekisui Kagaku, but a duel of marathoners between JP's  Ayuko Suzuki  and Sekisui's Hitomi Niiy...
Post a Comment
Read more

Olympian Hagitani Takes 10 Minutes Off Yodogawa Kanpei Half Marathon CR

At the Yodogawa Kanpei Half Marathon in Hirakata, Osaka on Dec. 15, Kaede Hagitani , 24, took over 10 minutes off the women's course record to win in 1:10:37. Hagitani ran the 5000 m at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and is targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Men's winner Koki Hosokawa , 31, broke his own CR with a 1:08:03 to win for the 2nd year in a row. In 5˚ temperatures the race set off along the Yodogawa river. Competing as a first step in her comeback after having left the sport post-Olympics, Hagitani had a spectacular record-breaking run that earned her a permanent invitation. "I usually train alone, so I never feel like I'm really on except in a race like this," she said. "The male runners in the race helped me have a good one." When asked why she ran a local race like the Kanpei Half when everyone else there was just a regular amateur Hagitani laughed and said, "My parents live near here." At the Tokyo Olympics Hagitani broke her 5000...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hakone Ekiden Entry Lists

With 3 weeks to go entry lists are out for the 101st Hakone Ekiden on Jan. 2-3, 2025. Things keep going up and up. With 21 teams of 16 entrants and 10 starters each a quick crunch of the numbers gives: 15 teams with a 10-man 5000 m average under 14 minutes 3 teams with a 10-man 5000 m average under 13:45 led by 2024 Hakone winner Aoyama Gakuin University in 13:40.07 10 teams with an individual under 13:30 for 5000 m, AGU, Komazawa University , Chuo University , Tokyo Kokusai University , and Yamanashi Gakuin University with 2 each 2 teams with an individual under 13:15 for 5000 m, TKU's collegiate record holder Richard Etir at 13:00.17 and Komazawa's indoor NR holder Keita Sato at 13:09.45 17 teams with a 10-man 10000 m average under 29 minutes 4 teams with a 10-man 10000 m average under 28:30, led by Chuo's incredible 28:15.62 11 teams with an individual under 28:00 for 10000 m, AGU and Chuo with 3 each, and Komazawa, Josai University , TKU, Waseda University and YG...
Post a Comment
Read more