Skip to main content

World Championships 10000 m Runner Kayo Sugihara Visits Her Old High School in Izumo

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/region/news/110714/smn11071401520000-n1.htm

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Named to the Japanese national team for next month's World Track and Field Championships in Daegu, Korea, 10000 m runner Kayo Sugihara (28, Team Denso) visited her former high school, Izumo Shogyo H.S. in Izumo, Shimane, on Aug. 13.  Sugihara won the 10000 m at June's National Track and Field Championships.  In 2007 she ran the 5000 m at the Osaka World Championships, meaning Daegu will be her second appearance at Worlds.  "I want to run an active race and break my best time," she told the assembled crowd with resolve.

Sugihara spoke in the high school's auditorium in front of a crowd of 200 including 158 seniors, 9 members of the school's track and field team, Izumo Shogyo graduates and assorted visitors.  Her former coach Koji Yamane talked about Sugihara's high school-era running, saying, "At first she got injured a lot and had constant problems with anemia, but although she could never really fully train she still laid the groundwork for getting where she is now."  Watching a video of the race that sealed her place on the Daegu team, the crowd all broke into applause when Sugihara broke away from her rivals with a strong kick over the last 200 m.

After receiving a bouquet of flowers form track and field team captain Miki Osaka Sugihara again addressed the crowd, saying, "It has been ten years since I graduated, but this opportunity came to me because of the three years I spent here.  In my race at the World Championships I want to show you all how much I've grown."

The women's 10000 m takes place on the Aug. 27, the first day of competition.  If Sugihara wins a medal she will secure a place on the London Olympic team.  "The Olympics are my ultimate goal," she said, her eyes sparkling.

Comments

Most-Read This Week

'Kobe 2024: Aitchison, Athmani Lead Record-Breaking Thursday'

  https://www.paralympic.org/news/kobe-2024-para-athletics-world-championships-aitchison-athmani-lead-record-breaking-thursday Complete results and daily schedule from the Kobe World Para Athletics Championships are here .

Summary of Japanese Medalists at Asian Athletics Championships

Overall:    gold: 4   silver: 6   bronze: 10 Men:    gold: 1   silver: 3   bronze: 4 Women:    gold: 3   silver: 3   bronze: 6 20th Asian Athletics Championships Pune, India, July 3-7, 2013 click here for complete results Men's 200 m Final   +0.7 m/s 1. Xie Zhenye (China) - 20.87 2. Fahad Mohammed Alsubaie (Saudi Arabia) - 20.912 3. Kei Takase (Japan) - 20.918 Men's 400 m Final 1. Yousef Ahmed Masrahi (Saudi Arabia) - 45.08 2. Ali Khamis (Bahrain) - 45.65 3. Yuzo Kanemaru (Japan) - 45.95 Men's 110 m Hurdles Final   +0.1 m/s 1. Jiang Fan (China) - 13.61 2. Abdulaziz Almandeel (Kuwait) - 13.78 3. Wataru Yazawa (Japan) - 13.88 Men's 400 m Hurdles Final 1. Yasuhiro Fueki (Japan) - 49.86 2. Cheng Wen (China) - 50.07 3. Satinder Singh (India) - 50.35 Men's 3000 m SC 1. Tarek Mubarak Taher (Bahrain) - 8:34.77 2. Dejene Regassa Mootoma (Bahrain) - 8:37.40 3. Tsuyoshi Takeda (Japan) - 8...

'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 .