Skip to main content

Fujiwara Leaves for St. Moritz Ahead of World Championships

http://sports.nikkei.co.jp/index.aspx?n=SSXKG0190%2001082009
http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/f-sp-tp0-20090801-525953.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Arata Fujiwara in Narita Airport Aug. 1. Click photo for full-sized version.

Berlin World Championships marathoner Arata Fujiwara (Team JR Higashi Nihon) left Tokyo's Narita Airport on Aug. 1st for his final preparations at a high-altitude training camp in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Asked if he is looking to finish in the medals Fujiwara looked relaxed and happy as he replied, "Of course, that's why I'm going. I'm going to run the best race I ever have."

It was clear that Fujiwara's condition has improved since last month's Sapporo International Half Marathon where he was 98th. In his training in Hokkaido since then he has focused on making adjustments to his form and has ironed out the problems he was having. "I've gotten all my mileage in, and now [at altitude in St. Moritz] I'll just be tuning up my cardiovascular system a bit." Fully expecting the Africans in the field to set a blistering pace, Fujiwara said, "I've been training to run 3 min [per km] pace, and I'll be ready to act when the race picks up."

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...

Hakone Ekiden Qualifying Race Entry Roster Sizes Increased from 14 to 16

Hakone Ekiden organizers KGRR have announced details for the qualifying half marathon for next year's 103rd Hakone Ekiden. The Yosenkai qualifying race will be held Oct. 17 in Tachikawa, Tokyo. The combined times of the 10 fastest finishers from each participating team will be used for team scoring, with the 10 fastest teams going on the the main event next January and top-placing individuals from teams that do not qualify being names to the Kanto Region Student Alliance select team. One change from previous years is that the number of runners each school can enter has been increased from 14 to 16. Teams will still only be allowed to have from 10 to 12 athletes on the starting line, but the move gives coaches greater flexibility in making the final decision on their starting rosters. No changes have been made to the qualifying times of 34:00 for 10000 m or 1:13:00 for the half marathon, and the new earlier starting time of 8:30 a.m. introduced last year in an effort to mitigate ...

Nomura and Odagiri Go 3-4 at Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km

2010 Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km Nijmegen, Netherlands, 11/21/10 Women click here for complete women's results 1. Genet Getaneh (Ethiopia) - 47:53 2. Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) - 48:07 3. Sayo Nomura (Meijo Univ.) - 49:43 4. Aki Odagiri (Meijo Univ.) - 51:37 5. Benita Willis (Australia) - 51:51 Men click here for complete men's results 1. Leonard Patrick Komon (Kenya) - 41:13 - WR 2. Abera Kuma (Ethiopia) - 42:01 3. Ayele Abshiro (Ethiopia) - 42:01 4. Abraham Kiplimo (Uganda) - 43:03 5. Berhanu Delale (Ethiopia) - 43:08 ----- 14. Kazuya Watanabe (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 45:31