Skip to main content

Kawauchi Returns from European 'Yuki Showdown' vs. Sato: "I Win on Time and Racing"

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/etc/20160426-OHT1T50059.html

translated by Brett Larner

Civil servant runner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't), age 29, returned to Tokyo's Narita Airport on April 26 after winning Sunday's Zurich Marathon in 2:12:04 in snowy conditions.  At the same time that Kawauchi was racing in Zurich, corporate league star Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin) also age 29, ran the London Marathon, finishing 11th in 2:12:14.  Pre-race Kawauchi had said, "There's no way I'm going to lose to him," and having lived up to his words he was very pleased with the outcome of the 'Yuki Showdown.'  "I beat [Sato] on time, and with worse [weather] conditions in Zurich I win on racing too."

Having missed the Rio Olympic team, Kawauchi's major goal now is the 2017 London World Championships, what he considers now will be his last time going for a place on a national team.  Kawauchi is focusing on December's Fukuoka International Marathon selection race and setting up his schedule to be ready for it.  In May he will race both the Sendai International Half Marathon and Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, and in July he will return to the Gold Coast Marathon where he hopes to run sub-2:10.

"I was in really good shape and felt great in Zurich, and it doesn't feel like there's any lingering damage," he said post-race.  "I want to break 2:10 once before the summer."

Sato photo © 2016 Dr. Helmut Winter, all rights reserved
Kawauchi photo © 2016 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
Labels:

Comments

TokyoRacer said…
He's quite a character.
April 26, 2016 at 9:47 PM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Asian Games Preview - Entries, Timetable and Live Results

Back in Japan for the first time in 32 years and representing 60% of the world's population, with more athletes competing across all sports than at the Olympics, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are already underway. Athletics competition starts tomorrow and runs through Tuesday the 29th. Some of the biggest names on the entry list include: Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage (SRI) - men's javelin throw - 2026 World Ultimate Championships gold and 2026 Diamond League champion Haruka Kitaguchi (JPN) - women's javelin throw - 2026 World Ultimate Championships and 2024 Paris Olympics gold Birhanu Balew (BRN) - men's 5000 m/10000 m - 2026 Diamond League 5000 m champion Sanghyeok Woo (KOR) - men's high jump - 2025 Tokyo World Championships silver Hayato Katsuki (JPN) - men's marathon race walk - 2025 Tokyo World Championships bronze Abderrahman Samba (QAT) - men's 400 mH - 2025 Tokyo World Championships bronze Jiale Zhang (CHN) - women's hammer throw - 2025 Tokyo W...
Post a Comment
Read more

Endo, Nishikawa and Yamakawa Announce Corporate Team Changes

The SG Holdings men's corporate team announced on Oct. 1 that long-distance athletes Hyuga Endo and Yuichiro Nishikawa have joined its roster after leaving the Sumitomo Denko team. Endo, 28, won the Junior Olympics 3000 m while at Koriyama Nishi J.H.S. before going on to Gakuho Ishikawa H.S. where he was the the top Japanese placer in the 5000 m at the National High School Championships 2 years in a row. After graduating from Gakuho Ishikawa he joined the Sumitomo Denko team, winning the National Championships 5000 m in 2021. He won gold at the 2023 Asian Championships and represented Japan at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships. "I will give everything I have as part of the team and work hard toward helping it win the New Year Ekiden," he said of his new environment. Of his personal goals he said, "I want to focus on the 5000 m and reach new levels to compete internationally." Nishikawa, 28, was a member of Tokai University 's winning teams at the H...
Post a Comment
Read more

2 Athletes Provisionally Suspended After Positive Drug Tests at Asian Games

The International Testing Agency announced on Oct. 2 that provisional suspensions have been imposed on two athletes, Kazakhstan's Aiana Bolatbekkyzy in track and field, and Tajikistan's Issamjon Sharifov in tennis, after they tested positive for prohibited substances at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Aichi. Bolatbekkyzy, 19, tested positive for the steroid drostanolone in a sample collected during an in-competition test at the Games. A diuretic drug was found in the sample collected from Sharifov, 23. source article: https://www.sanspo.com/article/20261002-X4FJLT5MMZKFND6WXPOESAKETQ/ translated by Brett Larner
Post a Comment
Read more