japan running news

http://mainichi.jp/area/akita/news/20080918ddlk05050105000c.html Takahashi's comments broadcast on NHK TV 9/18/08 translated and edited by Brett Larner Yuichi Takahashi, 43, originally of Yokote, Akita Prefecture, ran the Beijing Paralympics men's marathon on Sept. 17. Takahashi, the gold medalist in the T11 blind division at the Athens Paralympics, was seeking to win his second straight gold medal and had trained to run a world record 2:30 pace. After running 1:15 for the first half of the Beijing marathon he experienced difficulties and began to slow. Takahashi finished in 2:43:38, faster than his Athens winning time of 2:44:24. He was 2nd in the T11 completely blind division behind Italian Andrea Cionna's 2:36:43 but did not receive a silver medal. While in past Paralympics the T11 class has been scored separately from the T12 visually impaired division, the Beijing Paralympics chose to combine the two classes in the scoring for medals, forcing Cionna, Takahashi and othe...

by Brett Larner World records fell in three of the five divisions of the Sept. 17 Beijing Paralympics Marathon on the final day of competition. The 95 athletes from the combined five classes began together in Tiananmen Square at 7:30 a.m. local time. First to reach the Bird's Nest were the men's wheelchair competitors, with ten athletes entering the tunnel in a dense pack. Defending gold medalist Kurt Fearnley of Australia, Japan's Hiroki Sasahara and South Africa's Ernst Van Dyk battled for the medal positions, with Fearnley and Sasahara clocking identical times of 1:23:17, a PB for the Australian and SB for the Japanese. Fearnley was awarded the gold in the photo finish, Sasahara receiving the silver and Van Dyk the bronze after finishing just one second back. Japanese athletes in the lead pack also finished 5th, 6th and 7th. Veteran world record holder Heinz Frei of Switzerland, now in his 50's, was 14th in a creditable 1:25:43. Next to finish were the women...

by Brett Larner Japan will field three athletes in the visually impaired division of the Sept. 17 Beijing Paralympics Marathon and eight in the two wheelchair divisions. Leading the team is visually impaired division defending gold medalist Yuichi Takahashi. Takahashi has said his target is 2:30 but will face serious competition from world record holder Henry Wanyoike of Kenya, who ran 2:31:31 earlier this season, as well as from Tunisia's Abderrahim Zhiou, 2:32:52, and Italy's Fabrizio Cocchi, 2:33:20. Visually Impaired Division - T12 Yuichi Takahashi, 43, SB: 2:39:02 Masahito Niino, 51, SB: 2:49:05 Hiroaki Kajisa, 34, SB: 2:56:51 Wheelchair Division - T54 Masazumi Soejima, 38, SB: 1:21:23 Hiroki Sasahara, 34, SB: 1:29:12 Kota Hokinoue, 34, SB: 1:29:42 Hiroyuki Yamamoto, 42, SB: 1:30:40 Choke Yasuoka, 35, SB: 1:37:14 Jun Hiromichi, 34, SB: 1:39:37 Impaired Limb Mobility Wheelchair Division - T52 Toshihiro Takada, 43, SB: 1:44:04 Hirokazu Ueyonabaru, 37, SB: 1:44:55 Complete st...

http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/general/track/miyagi/news/20080719ddlk04050139000c.html translated and edited by Brett Larner "I'm in better shape than I was four years ago. I'm ready to run 2:30." So says Yuichi Takahashi, the Athens Paralympics men's marathon gold medalist who will look to defend his title at the Beijing Paralympics marathon on Sept. 17. Takahashi is completely blind. He and other blind marathoners are allowed to employ two guide runners, one in the first half of the race and one in the second. Guides' left hands are tied to blind runners' right hands, communicating directions through subtle movements of the lead rope as they traverse the 42.195 km course. Takahashi managed to secure exceptional guide runners this time, capable athletes he trusts completely.* His daily training has gone well and he is full of confidence. Takahashi was born June 12, 1965 in Yokote, Akita Prefecture. Born sighted, he carries the burden of memories of the vi...

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20080831-00000058-san-spo translated by Brett Larner The 2008 Beijing Paralympics take place in Beijing, China from Sept. 9 through 17. Competing for his second consecutive gold medal in the final day's men's marathon is Yuichi Takahashi, 43. His guide runner in Beijing will be Sydney Olympics men's marathon competitor and Toyo University head track and field coach Shinji Kawashima, 42. Motivated by Takahashi's passion, it is an Olympic rebirth for Kawashima. "In Beijing if I can recover what I lost in Sydney then maybe the Rising Sun will be raised high on the center pole." The two runners share and Olympic dream of a gold medal. Takahashi was stricken with the degenerative retinal condition retinitis punctata albescens at the age of 16 and was completely blind by 33. Having run track and field in junior high school, Takahashi became interested in running and made the marathon his main target when he was 30. He rapidl...