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30 km National University Record Holder Hattori Withdraws from Tokyo Marathon with Achilles Injury

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/etc/20150214-OHT1T50310.html

translated by Brett Larner

30 km national university record holder Yuma Hattori, a third-year at Toyo University, has withdrawn from his planned debut at the Feb. 22 Tokyo Marathon due to pain in his right Achilles tendon.  Hattori notified race organizers of his withdrawal on Feb. 14.

On Jan. 2 Hattori won the Hakone Ekiden's most competitive stage, the Second Stage, but injured his right thigh in the last part of that run.  After taking a week off to recover he returned to full training including two 40 km runs but began experiencing pain in his right Achilles.  Carefully considering his future, he made the tough decision to withdraw.

The decision means that Hattori has given up on his plans for the "shortest route" to the Olympics that were to have started at the Tokyo Marathon, but his goal of making the Rio de Janeiro Olympics has not changed.  He still plans to run next year's Tokyo Marathon to take a "single shot" at making the Olympic team.  He won't be alone.  Also planning to debut in Tokyo next year to try to make the Rio team are rival Aoyama Gakuin University's "God of the Mountain" Hakone Fifth Stage winner Daichi Kamino and Second Stage 3rd-placer Tadashi Isshiki.

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