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Toyo University's Yuma Hattori to Shoot for Rio Olympics on the Track After Missing in Marathon Debut

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20160322-00000175-sph-spo

translated by Brett Larner

After finishing 12th overall as the 4th Japanese man in his debut at the Feb. 28 Tokyo Marathon, 4th-year Yuma Hattori of 2015 National University Ekiden champion Toyo University indicated on Mar. 22 that he plans to run both the 5000 m and the 10000 m at June's National Track and Field Championships, the qualifying event for the Rio Olympic team.

Hattori's 5000 m and 10000 m bests are 13:36.76 and 28:09.02.  The Olympic qualifying marks for those distances are 13:25.00 and 28:00.00.  Along with clearing those times Hattori faces the tough hurdle of winning the National Championships.  "The marathon and the track are totally different so it'll be tough for me to make the Olympic team," he said coolly, "but as long as there's a chance I want to go for it."

Hattori's former Sendai Ikuei H.S. teammate Tadashi Isshiki, a 3rd-year at 2016 Hakone Ekiden winner Aoyama Gakuin University who outkicked Hattori for 11th and 3rd Japanese in Tokyo, will also be trying for the Rio team in the 10000 m.
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