Skip to main content

2018 Asian Games Marathon Silver Medalist Nogami to Retire in January

On Dec. 15 the management of the Juhachi Shinwa Ginko women's corporate team announced that 2018 Asian Games marathon silver medalist Keiko Nogami, 35, will retire next month. Her final race will be the Jan. 24 Kitakyushu Women's Invitational Ekiden. After retiring she plans to return to her family home in Hyogo. Her plans beyond that have not yet been settled.

Nogami struggled with injuries ever since her time at Hyogo's Suma Gakuen H.S. Suma Gakuen won the National High School Ekiden her senior year, but she was only an alternate and did not run. After graduating she joined the Sanix corporate team, which disbanded a short time later. She ran her debut marathon at age 29, set her PBs of 15:24.70 for 5000 m, 32:07.70 for 10000 m and 2:26:33 for the marathon in 2018 at age 32, and her half marathon PB of 1:09:27 in 2019 at age 33.

Nogami had an injury to her left shin about three months before the MGC Race Olympic marathon trials in September, 2019. Although she fell behind in the early stages of the race, she pushed on to take 5th, just missing out on a place on the Tokyo Olympic team as alternate. Finding it increasingly difficult to compete at the international level, this fall Nogami made the decision to retire, sending her hopes on to the next generation for their success. 

"I had a lot of injury problems, especially when I was young, and it was a long and painful road," Nogami commented. "But I was able to make it this far thanks to the support of all those around me. All of it has helped me grow as a person. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years. Please keep up your support of the Juhachi Shinwa Ginko team."

source article:
translated and edited by Brett Larner

photo © 2015 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Buy Me A Coffee
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Kobe Marathon Elite Field

Sunday's Kobe Marathon has announced its elite fields, finally. Japanese athletes have a shot at qualifying for next fall's MGC Race, the official trials race for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, if they go sub-2:27 for the first Japanese woman across the line or sub-2:09 for the first 3 Japanese men to do it. There aren't a lot of contenders to pull it off. On the women's side, Kaede Hagitani , Ayaka Shimoyamada and Kotomi Tsubokura all ran 2:31-32 PBs in the spring and will need to step it up a couple of notches to get there. 2:23 Kenyan Antonina Kwambai is perfectly positioned to help. On the men's side, Keijiro Mogi is closest with a 2:09:06 at last year's Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, Hiroto Kanamori his closest domestic competition with a 2:10:01 PB in Osaka in February. The international trio of last year's winner Barnaba Kipkoech , Elisha Rotich and Goitom Kifle all have recent 2:06-7 times and should help set it up for someone to get there, wh...
1 comment
Read more

Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Elite Field (updated)

Another big race on the MGC qualifying calendar has posted its elite fields, the Dec. 6 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon . It looks like a good race for the single MGC spot up for women under 2:27, and the 6 spots for men sub-2:09. Yuka Ando is the favorite in the women's race with a 2:21:18 in Nagoya 2 years ago, with her only real competition coming from Ayumi Morita , who broke 2:27 in Hofu last year but missed qualifying by not being the first Japanese woman across the line. CR holder Workneh Derese is back after his 2:06:58 win last year, leading Kenyan veteran Bedan Karoki and 4 Japanese men with a solid chance at sub-2:09, Tatsuya Maruyama , Ryoma Takeuchi , Shuho Dairokuno and Kento Nishi . Takeuchi set his 2:08:20 PB at Gold Coast in July, and Dairokuno is fresh off a great run at the final Kyushu Corporate Ekiden. Masatoshi Sakata , Yota Ifuku , Madoka Tanihara and Daiji Kawai have both come close to sub-2:09 in recent races and could factor in. 57th Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Elite...
1 comment
Read more

Kenyan Graduate Student Athlete Posts Job Hunt for Ekiden Team on Twitter

A Kenyan runner who had tried to help lead his team to the Hakone Ekiden has taken an unusual approach to finding a post-graduation sponsor. Last week Patrick Kamau posted his job hunt on his Twitter account , saying, "I am looking for a club team or a corporate team where I can run in ekidens. I would be happy to run for any team that gave me a chance. I would be grateful for any opportunity and take it on with a positive attitude!" Kamau was 5th at the Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai qualifying race half marathon in 1:01:10 last year during his 4th year at Jobu University . But despite his efforts, Jobu never qualified for Hakone during his 4 years there. He is currently working on a graduate degree while looking for "a team that will let me continue my competitive career." Fans responded to Kamau's job search posting, saying, "I hope it works out for you!" "Good luck comes to those who work hard" and "Kamau is going to graduate school? Given...
Post a Comment
Read more