Skip to main content

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

Buy Me A Coffee
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

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

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...
Post a Comment
Read more

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...
3 comments
Read more