Skip to main content

Haile Gebrselassie to Run Tokyo Marathon

http://www.asahi.com/sports/spo/TKY201010300131.html
http://yamagata-np.jp/news_core/index_pr.php?kate=Sports&no=2010102901000569
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20101029-OHT1T00317.htm
http://mainichi.jp/select/today/news/20101030k0000m050034000c.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

On October 29 the organizing committee of the Tokyo Marathon announced that world record holder Haile Gebrselassie (37, Ethiopia) has committed to running the 2011 Tokyo Marathon in late February. Gebrselassie set the current men's marathon world record of 2:03:59 at the 2008 Berlin Marathon. Tokyo will be his second marathon in Japan, having won the 2006 Fukuoka International Marathon.

335,000 people applied for the 35,000 spots in the 2011 Tokyo Marathon. Committee executive Tadaaki Hayano commented, "We hope everybody in the race feels the energy of the greatest running in the world."

The 2011 Tokyo Marathon will be one of the selection races for the Japanese men's marathon team at the 2011 World Championships, meaning many of the country's best runners will also be lining up. Last year's race featured a first-place prize of 8,000,000 yen [$100,000 USD at current exchange rates] and a world-record bonus of 30,000,000 yen [$375,000 USD]. Although the Tokyo Marathon has had poor luck with weather in its four editions to date, the course record of 2:07:23 marks it as an outstanding high-speed course. Should the course record fall the winner will receive a bonus of 3,000,000 yen [$37,500 USD].

Update: Read the official press release here.
Labels:

Comments

Brett Larner said…
This is a surprise. I guess this means Arata Fujiwara already has his NYCM rematch lined up then.
October 30, 2010 at 7:07 PM
Samurai Running said…
I wonder how Tokyo fits into his schedule if indeed he's still aiming for a Gold in London 2012?

Seems a bit close to New york to be racing again but I think these guys don't operate by the same rules as blodders like me.

Do you think Sammy might turn up in Tokyo too? If not the "Osaka Marathon 2011" might want to get him to balance things out a bit. Can't have big brother getting all the attention ;)
October 30, 2010 at 9:18 PM
Brett Larner said…
I was wondering the same thing re: Geb in the Olympics. I think this means he's going to run the marathon at the World Champs next year. I can't see him doing another spring marathon--3 hard ones in 6 months at his age doesn't seem realistic. Plenty of time, though, between Tokyo and the WC. Running the WC seems like the logical prep for London '12, and I'm sure he'd like a WC marathon gold for the collection before he wraps things up.

Not sure what it means for his plans for NYCM, though, although it and Tokyo are about as far apart as Berlin and Dubai, I think. I'm sure he would receive a very handsome bonus for breaking Kebede's all-comers' record in Tokyo. Mimura is no doubt delighted as well.

Hard to see Sammy being there. He said he was aiming for Dubai, which also might be part of Geb in Tokyo.
October 30, 2010 at 11:11 PM
Brett Larner said…
Forgot to add: if the yen holds up the way it has been the last few months then all Tokyo prize & appearance money is worth +20%. Mika and I were just talking a few days ago about how that would make next year's race very attractive for overseas elites.
October 30, 2010 at 11:13 PM
Martin Verdier said…
I wonder how HE got in, Japanese or English website?
October 31, 2010 at 6:24 AM
Anonymous said…
I´m thrilled to read about this. After the report on Noguchi`s return to competitive running again some great news on this blog. Thanks.

Joe
October 31, 2010 at 4:49 PM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Nationally-Ranked Gakuho Ishikawa H.S. Withdraws From Region Championships Due to Bear Attacks

5th at last year's National High School Ekiden boys' race, Fukushima's Gakuho Ishikawa H.S. has withdrawn its boys' and girls' team from the Nov. 6 Tohoku Region Ekiden Championships in Fukushima. A school spokesperson commented, "We made this decision based on the likelihood of our students coming into contact with bears in the city when out running in the morning." The Akita Athletics Association had already made an announcement on its website on Oct. 31 that due to the high number of bear encounters within the city of Akita this year , the ekiden would be held on a track instead of as a road race. Organizers said that they are leaving it up to each individual school whether to participate, and that they will accept schools choosing not to participate due to safety concerns. The Gakuho Ishikawa boys and girls both won the Fukushima Prefecture High School Ekiden in October, earning them places at the Tohoku regional meet and December's National High...
Post a Comment
Read more

'Kobe 2024: Monday Sees Shocking Wins on the Track and the Field'

  https://www.paralympic.org/news/kobe-2024-para-athletics-world-championships-monday-sees-shocking-wins-track-and-field Complete results and daily schedule from the Kobe World Para Athletics Championships  are here .
Post a Comment
Read more

Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Elite Field

Everything in Japanese marathoning is already about qualifying for the MGC Race, Japan's trials race for the L.A. Olympics. Scheduled the same day as the Fukuoka International Marathon, the Dec. 7 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon counts the same weight as Fukuoka, Tokyo and Osaka in men's qualification, with trials spots up to be had by the first 6 Japanese men under 2:09:00 and the first Japanese woman under 2:27:00. The only real contender to do that among the women is Mizuki Nishimura , running her first marathon off a 1:41:42 CR at the Kumanichi 30k in February. Given the Tenmaya corporate team's track record of success in the marathon, including the current women's NR of 2:18:59, her chances are pretty good. Ayumi Morita ran a 2:31:38 PB in Tokyo last year, but it's a big jump for her to get down to 2:26 and it'll mostly be a question of whether Nishimura executes the same way she did at Kumanichi. For men there are 6 under 2:09:00 in the last 3 years, with Ryoma T...
Post a Comment
Read more