Skip to main content

New JAAF Leader Seko Praises Kawauchi's Aggressiveness - "It'd Be OK if He's Chosen"

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20161204/ath16120418410006-n1.html

translated by Brett Larner
photo by Dr. Helmut Winter

At the Dec. 4 Fukuoka International Marathon, civil servant runner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) was the top Japanese man at 3rd overall in 2:09:11, putting his name at the top of the list for 2017 London World Championships team consideration.  Newly-appointed JAAF Long Distance and Marathon Development project leader Toshihiko Seko praised Kawauchi's aggressiveness in the race, saying, "That was running of tremendous value.  It'd be OK if he's chosen [for the London team]."  Seko also emphasized the fact that Kawauchi produced results off his training load, which included a 100-km run.  "I think young people learned something from that," he said.  Beaming with positivity at the conclusion of the first World Championships selection race, Seko said, "This was a good first step.  I want to say thank you to Mr. Kawauchi."

photo © 2016 Dr. Helmut Winter
all rights reserved

Labels:

Comments

SteelTownRunner said…
Thank you once again for your wonderful reporting, and please pass on best wishes from another inspired fan.

Understandably, the marathon is YK's (coincidentally, he shares initials with Yiannis Kouros...) primary event. He certainly has the leg speed for the 50K and 100K world records. We know he's got the wheels to last 50K. Would he have any interest in representing Japan in the 50K and or 100K World Championship? The absolute 100K WR is 6:10 (track) held by Don Ritchie. The road record is just a few minutes slower.
December 7, 2016 at 1:07 AM
Derek said…
Thanks Brett, let's hope Seko's voice is heard
December 7, 2016 at 6:12 AM
Brett Larner said…
The 50 km WR is definitely an objective. He has also said he thinks he can break 6 hours for 100 km and has done that distance in training this fall, so I wouldn't say it's unlikely you'll see him run one. The marathon is still the priority, though. I don't think we'll see him at the World Championships soon, though. His younger brother Yoshiki is working in that direction and I don't think he wants to get in the way.
December 7, 2016 at 11:56 AM
Anonymous said…
When will they announce the team?
December 10, 2016 at 5:01 PM
Brett Larner said…
Not til March after Lake Biwa and Nagoya.
December 13, 2016 at 4:45 AM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

World Marathon Majors Japanese Entries

We're back from a short summer break. A week and a half out from the first race of the season's four World Marathon Majors races, here's a look at Japanese athletes scheduled to run. Everything right now is about qualifying for the MGC Race, the official trials race for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to be held in the fall of 2027 in Nagoya. The JAAF makes no mistake about wanting to keep its top people racing domestically where it can get a share of revenue from the TV broadcast and race operations, so anyone who decides to race overseas has to do it in a WA platinum label race and hit either 2:06:30 or 2:23:30, regardless of place, course or weather if they want to make the trials. At the same time concessions are make for domestic races, like for example the late-August Hokkaido Marathon where up to 3 men and 3 women can qualify if they go 2:12:00 or 2:32:00. As a result, you get things like last year where amateur runner Yudai Fukuda made the trials by finishing 3rd Jap...
1 comment
Read more

Nakajima Breaks 100 mH NR Twice, Kitaguchi Returns - August Track Roundup

Catching up on what's been happening in track and field this month during our summer break: Men's 3000 m NR holder Nagiya Mori was just off his 5000 m PB at the IFAM Oordegem meet in Belgium on Aug. 1, taking 16th in 13:15.01. Shota Nakano was 26th of 28 in 13:35.02. This year's national champion Ryoma Aoki ran the 3000 mSC but didn't finish. Naoto Hasegawa was the only Japanese athlete at Mutaz Essa Barshim 's What Gravity Tour stop at the Monaco Athletics Festival meet on Aug. 5. Having cleared 2.30 m for the first time earlier this year Hasegawa only managed 2.18 m in Monaco, taking 7th of 10. There were a lot of good performances at the Fuji Hokuriku World Trial meet in Fujiyoshida on Aug. 9, but the one that got the headlines was a 12.62 (-0.2) NR in the women's 100 mH by Hitomi Nakajima . Nakajima actually did it twice, running 12.62 (+2.0) in the heats before repeating in the final. Masumi Aoki also ran big in the heats, with a 12.68 (+2.0) for al...
1 comment
Read more

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...
Post a Comment
Read more