Skip to main content

Yamagata-Based Alexander Mutiso Aims to Be #1 in Paris Olympics Marathon


Having been named to the Kenyan men's team for this summer's Paris Olympics, Alexander Mutiso, 27, of the Nanyo, Yamagata-based ND Software corporate team, told the Yamagata Newspaper on May 13 that his goal for the Olympic marathon is "to be #1." Having lived in Yamagata for 10 years, Mutiso has strong attachment to the area and credits its environment for helping him develop, saying, "Ever since I came to Yamagata I've been running well." He left for Kenya on May 14 to join the Kenyan national team training camp, aiming to be in perfect condition when he arrives in Paris for the main event.

Mutiso came to Japan in 2015, joining the ND Software team and taking up residence in Nanyo. "I don't like the cold winters in Yamagata so much, but the other seasons are nice." From that base he has grown into the athlete he is now, competing in races across Japan and around the world. Compared to the track, his strengths lie more in long road races. At the Valencia Half Marathon in Spain in 2020 he ran under the world record at the time. In 2022 he began running marathons, going on to win last month's London Marathon to earn his spot on the Olympic team.

"I've very happy to have been picked for the Olympics," he said. "I'm proud to represent Kenya, where there are so many talented athletes." Alongside him will be Tokyo Olympics champion Eliud Kipchoge, 39, who will be aiming for a first-ever third-straight Olympic marathon gold. "He is a friend and a legend," said Mutiso.

Of his expectations for the race Mutiso said, "The Kenyan and Ethiopia teams will be very strong. I will do the training I need to be competitive." The Paris course, which has major hills, has been called the most difficult in Olympic history, but Mutiso was enthusiastic about it, saying, "I'm good at uphills. I want to show what I can really do." The Paris Olympics men's marathon takes place August 10.

source article:
translated and edited by Brett Larner

Buy Me A Coffee



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Ex-Fiancee Slags Olympian Dean in Gossip Mag After Taking Him to Court Over Child

In March this year it was learned that Genki Dean , 33, a javelin thrower who represented Japan in the Paris Olympics, had gotten married. His partner was Yuka Sato , 32, another javelin thrower who retired last fall. Reporters broke the news of their "javelinuptials" with a wry smile. As a 20-year-old 3rd-year at Waseda University Dean had a massive breakthrough with what was at the time the 2nd-best mark in Japanese history, qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics. He struggled with injury for years, but last year he returned to the Olympics when he represented Japan in Paris. This season he is competing around the world in hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo World Championships. But against that backdrop was an ongoing struggle with another woman, his ex-fiancee. "I met him in 2017, and we clicked right away and became lovers," she said. The pair started living together, and she soon got pregnant. According to her, at first Dean was really happy about it and cried ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hakone Ekiden Select Team Qualification Protocol Changes

On June 19 the KGRR , organizers of the Hakone Ekiden , published a press release on the new criteria for making the Kanto Region Student Alliance select team for the prestigious race. The new process will assign a single place on the team to 10 different universities, with an additional 6 spots for individuals. The Kanto Region Student Alliance team is intended to broaden the opportunities for schools to participate in Hakone, making it possible for traditionally strong schools that failed to qualify to still be represented and for new programs to be able to take part for the first time. It was first created in 2003 for the 79th Hakone Ekiden under the name Kanto Region Select Team. From 2007 to 2013 its team results counted in overall placing, but after being eliminated in 2014 it was brought back a year later in a non-scoring capacity under its new name and has been a part of the event ever since with the exception of Hakone's 100th running in 2024. Nomination to the Student All...
Post a Comment
Read more