Skip to main content

Wanjiru, Shibui Headline Sapporo International Half Marathon

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2009061900760
http://sports.nikkei.co.jp/index.aspx?n=SSXKF0540%2019062009

translated and edited by Brett Larner

On June 19 Rikuren released the elite field for this year's 52nd Sapporo International Half Marathon, to be held July 5. Headlining the men's field of 8 invited athletes is world record holder and Beijing Olympics men's marathon gold medalist Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya. The domestic elite men's field includes Berlin World Championships marathoners Atsushi Sato (Team Chugoku Denryoku) and Arata Fujiwara (Team JR Higashi Nihon) as well as 2008 World Half Marathon 5th place finisher Yusei Nakao (Team Toyota Boshoku).

The women's field of 11 is led by three of Japan's World Championships marathon squad, defending champion Yuri Kano (Second Wind AC), Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo), and Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido). Also in the field are Beijing Olympics marathoner Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya), 2008 Honolulu Marathon winner Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) and Shimahara's teammate Akemi Ozaki (Second Wind AC).

The Sapporo International Half Marathon will serve as the final selection race for the national team for October's World Half Marathon Championships in the U.K.

Translator's note: The race will be broadcast from 1:30 p.m. to 2:55 p.m. on July 5. Overseas viewers should be able to watch with the Keyhole TV software available here. Wanjiru is also rumored to be headlining another major Japanese race in the upcoming winter season.
Labels:

Comments

kevin said…
I want to run the Sapporo half marathon. I can't read Japanese. how do you sign up? I think Nakamura will win cause she showed great speed on the track and at Yamaguchi half marathon.
June 23, 2009 at 4:54 AM
kevin said…
I don't Shibui will win. She not that great of a half marathoner. She only ran 70:27 at Yamaguchi in 2008. Nakamura ran 1:10:00 27 seconds faster. I think 1st is Nakamura, 2nd Kano, 3rd, Fujingaga, and 4th Shibui.
June 23, 2009 at 4:57 AM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Hassan Runs NR/CR for Osaka Win, Dibaba Hits Women's CR, Yoshida and Shuley Earn Legends

This was maybe the most entertaining marathon in years. After rocking the 2nd leg at last year's Hakone Ekiden Hibiki Yoshida (Sunbelx) ran an incredible 1:01:01 CR for the 21.9 km New Year Ekiden 2nd leg last month, equivalent to a 58:47 half marathon. That predicted a 2:03:27 marathon if he ever ran one, and when Yoshida announced he was debuting at this year's Osaka Marathon he wasted no time in saying it'd be a shot at the 2:04:55 NR. Things went out fast enough with a 14:50 split through 5 km, 2:05:11 pace, but Yoshida just couldn't hold back and took off at 8 km. He clearly DGAF about what was probably going to happen as his projected finish kept getting faster, 2:04:41, 2:04:15, 2:03:51, 2:03:40, edging closer and closer to what his New Year time predicted, but not helped along by the fact that he missed 4 out of his first 5 drink bottles. People laughed, and then cheered him on. 30 km was the first time he slowed, his finish projection dropping to 2:03:53, an...
4 comments
Read more

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...
Post a Comment
Read more