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Beyond Tokyo 2020

This year I was again asked to give an impromptu speech at the welcoming banquet the night before the Ageo City Half Marathon, where Ken Nakayama (Chuo Univ.) and Genki Kaneko (Josai Univ.) earned invitations to the 2019 United Airlines NYC Half by taking the top two Japanese collegiate spots in 1:01:32 for 2nd overall and 1:02:16 for 6th. This is an English transcription of what I remember saying.

Hello, I’m Brett Larner, appearing here on behalf of the New York Road Runners. So, Japanese men are doing pretty well in the marathon this year, don’t you think? Two national records, the first gold medal at the Asian Games in 32 years, and look at the results from the World Marathon Majors, the series made up of the world’s six biggest marathons. Of the four races in which top Japanese men ran, there was a 2nd place at the Tokyo Marathon, a win at the Boston Marathon, a 4th place at the Berlin Marathon in a race that saw a new world record, and a 3rd place at the Chicago Marathon. Look two years ahead to the Tokyo Olympics and yeah, it’s really looking like they can do it.

Among the Japanese men who really excelled, Yuta Shitara, who was 2nd at the Ageo City Half Marathon his second year at Toyo University, set a new national record. Suguru Osako, who won the Ageo City Half Marathon his first year at Waseda University, took the national record even further. And Yuki Kawauchi, who was 3rd at the Ageo City Half Marathon his fourth year at Gakushuin University, became the first Japanese man in 31 years to win the historic Boston Marathon.

It’s clear that the university runners who can finish in the top three at the Ageo City Half Marathon are the ones among the next generation who are going to make national teams and be the most internationally competitive. There’s no doubt at all about that. Some of them will be on the Tokyo Olympics team. But the Tokyo Olympics aren’t the finish line, they’re the starting line. This wave of strength and self-confidence has to continue on beyond Tokyo 2020. Someone who finishes in the top three tomorrow will be on the Paris 2024 team, or maybe the Los Angeles 2028 team. Whoever that ends up being, don’t forget their name, because you’ll be hearing more from them in a few years.

For most of the collegiate runners who have earned invitations, the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon has been their first international road racing experience. Its organizers the New York Road Runners value the chance to help cultivate the next generation of Japan’s best athletes and look forward to welcoming them to New York City next March. Here’s to a great race tomorrow.

text and photo © 2018 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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