by Brett Larner
2012 was not a great year for Japanese women's distance running. Despite a few outstanding top-end performances, including all-time Japanese top ten marks by Hitomi Niiya (Team Univ. Ent.) and Risa Shigetomo (Team Tenmaya) and a slight improvement over recent years in marathon depth, overall the year showed a decline. The death of Japanese women's half-marathoning has been the most puzzling trend; ten years ago over a half dozen Japanese women running times in the 67 to 69 minute range was a given, but this year only two broke 70 minutes, barely. Depth was also down over 5000 m and 10000 m. While the men seem to have turned the corner and have regained some upward momentum and positivity, Japanese women are still on the downhill.
It wasn't all bad, though. London Olympics track runners Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal), Niiya and Mika Yoshikawa (Team Panasonic) were a credit to the country, saying to their competitors, "This is the Olympics. We're…
2012 was not a great year for Japanese women's distance running. Despite a few outstanding top-end performances, including all-time Japanese top ten marks by Hitomi Niiya (Team Univ. Ent.) and Risa Shigetomo (Team Tenmaya) and a slight improvement over recent years in marathon depth, overall the year showed a decline. The death of Japanese women's half-marathoning has been the most puzzling trend; ten years ago over a half dozen Japanese women running times in the 67 to 69 minute range was a given, but this year only two broke 70 minutes, barely. Depth was also down over 5000 m and 10000 m. While the men seem to have turned the corner and have regained some upward momentum and positivity, Japanese women are still on the downhill.
It wasn't all bad, though. London Olympics track runners Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal), Niiya and Mika Yoshikawa (Team Panasonic) were a credit to the country, saying to their competitors, "This is the Olympics. We're…