Skip to main content

Kawauchi 8th in Solo Dusseldorf - "No Other Japanese Was a New Experience"

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/sports/news/120429/oth12042920580028-n1.htm

translated by Brett Larner
photos (c) 2012 Brett Larner

Having lost in his bid to make the London Olympics team, civil servant runner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref.) finished 8th in 2:12:58 at the Apr. 29 Dusseldorf Marathon, his first European race. Kawachi commented afterward, "Having only Kenyans and Ethiopians and no other Japanese around me was a new experience," taking something positive from the experience.  Losing touch with the lead pack following a surge just before 23 km, he missed his goal of a sub-2:10 clocking.  "I wanted to beat my Tokyo Marathon time (2:12:51) no matter what.  I can only blame my own weakness for this result, and I have to figure out how to do better."

A full-time employee at Kasukabe H.S. in Saitama, Kawauchi is an oddity among Japan's top-class athletes.  Following his European debut, he says, "I'm going straight from the airport to work."  Even in the face of disappointment he remains as serious and principled as ever.

2012 Dusseldorf Marathon
Dusseldorf, Germany, 4/29/12
click here for complete results

Men
1. Seboka Diriba Tola (Ethiopia) - 2:08:27 - CR
2. Duncan Koech (Kenya) - 2:08:33 - PB
3. Abraham Kiprotich (Kenya) - 2:08:35
4. Marcin Chabowski (Poland) - 2:10:07 - PB
5. Evans Ruto (Kenya) - 2:10:10
6. Nahashon Kimaiyo (Kenya) - 2:10:28
7. Abraham Chelanga (Kenya) - 2:10:40
8. Yuki Kawauchi (Japan) - 2:12:58
-----
15. Saeki Makino (Japan) - 2:21:42 - PB

Women
1. Agnes Jeruto (Kenya) - 2:25:49 - CR
2. Nastassia Staravoitava (Belarus) - 2:27:24
3. Melkam Gisaw (Ethiopia) - 2:27:50
4. Volha Dubovskaya (Belarus) - 2:28:08
5. Kebebush Haile Lema (Ethiopia) - 2:29:02
6. Anna Hahner (Germany) - 2:30:14 - debut
7. Fantu Eticha Jimma (Ethiopia) - 2:30:53
8. Jane Rotich (Kenya) - 2:31:06
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

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 .
Post a Comment
Read more

Etir Breaks Marugame CR, Catrofe Sets Uruguay NR, Omare 3rd-Straight Win

On the one hand it was too windy for really fast times at the Marugame Half , but on the other it wasn't, apparently. It was pretty much a strong tailwind over the first 10 km and just a strong a headwind over the last 10, so it wasn't a surprise that the lead group of men went through 5 km in 13:59 and 10 km in 27:51. Up front in it were 59:30 collegiate record co-holders Richard Etir and Kotaro Shinohara , and sub-59:30 guy Emmanuel Maru . But with the National University Half Marathon having moved to Marugame last year there were a million fast Hakone kids up in it to, Hiromichi Nonaka from Koku Gakuin University leading the way but lots more right behind. Etir and Maru opened up on the field after the turnaround, and by 15 km Etir was alone, 9 seconds ahead of Maru and on sub-59 pace running into the wind. Like everyone else he struggled to keep pace in the wind, sub-59 slipping away but easily taking the win in 59:07, a CR and new collegiate record by 23 seconds. Maru e...
1 comment
Read more

Marugame, Beppu-Oita and More - Weekend Preview

After the Osaka International Women's Marathon and Osaka Half Marathon last weekend Japan's winter road season rolls on with 3 big races Sunday. The Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon has a good field up front in the women's race with 5 runners, Eilish McColgan , Dolphine Omare , Isobel Batt-Doyle , Charlotte Purdue and Yuka Ando , with sub-1:09 bests and the debut of #1 collegiate runner Sarah Wanjiru of Daito Bunka University . 3 men in Marugame have recent sub-60 times, Emmanuel Maru , Richard Etir and Kotaro Shinohara leading the way. Shinohara was one of 2 Japanese men to break 60 at Marugame last year and missed the NR by 3 seconds in 59:30. After a 42:53 CR on his 15.3 km leg at the New Year Ekiden on Jan.1, 45:06 pace for 10 miles, he's looking to pick up at least another 4 seconds this time around. 14 other men in the field are at the 60-minute level, and Chuo University 's sub-28 10000 m runner Yamato Hamaguchi is making a highly anticip...
1 comment
Read more