Skip to main content

Okubo Smashes PB at Berlin Marathon (updated)

Eri Okubo (Second Wind AC) on her way to her first sub-2:30 at the Berlin Marathon. Photo (c) 2011 Dr. Helmut Winter, all rights reserved.

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2011092500284

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Okubo in Berlin. Photo by Manabu Kawagoe. Click to enlarge.

Eri Okubo (Second Wind AC) finished 9th at the Sept. 25 Berlin Marathon, running 2:28:49.  Her time broke her PB by 6 1/2 minutes and marked her first time under the 2:30 barrier.  "I went on a two-month training camp specifically to target the 2:20's," she said after the race.  "It's what I was hoping for so I'm very happy to have made it happen."  Nevertheless, she remained modest and realistic about her mark's larger significance.  "I'm still not in range of the best in Japan, but I can feel that I'm working my way up the staircase."  Looking toward next year's London Olympics she says, "With each marathon I run, if it comes closer into sight then it's something I'll shoot for."

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 .

Japan's First Goldless Day - Asian Athletics Championships Day Four Highlights

Day 4 of the Bangkok Asian Athletics Championships was the first without a single gold medal going to Japan, but there were still enough silvers and bronzes to go around. Robyn Lauren Brown of the Philippines outclassed the rest of the women's 400 mH final field, taking gold in 57.50. Eri Utsunomiya and Ami Yamamoto made it a Japanese 2-3, Utsunomiya running 57.73 for silver and Yamamoto 57.80 for bronze. Yusaku Kodama also scored silver in the men's 400 mH, running 48.96 behind Qatari winner Bassem Hemeida 's 48.64. Yuki Yamasaki won bronze in the heptathlon with 5696 points, Uzbekistan's Ekaterina Voronina taking gold in 6098 and Swapna Barman silver in 5840. Teammate Karin Odama was 4th in 5487. Another bronze came in the mixed 4x400 m relay, with Japan running 3:15.71 behind India's 3:14.70 and Sri Lanka's 3:15.41. Naoto Hasegawa and Ryoichi Akamatsu both cleared 2.23 m in the men's high jump, Hasegawa finishing 4th overall and Akamatsu 5th. ...

'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 .