japan running news

On Mar. 19 a Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) spokesperson said in an interview that the position of team captain will be eliminated from the Japanese Olympic team at this summer's Paris Olympics, which begin July 26. The move is intended to reduce the burden placed upon the athlete chosen. It will be discussed at the JOC Board of Directors meeting on Mar. 21 and, if approved, will make Paris the first summer Olympics without a Japanese team captain since the position was created at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Japan's first post-war participation. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) currently requires each country to nominate one man and one woman to serve as flag bearers, but it has no rules specifically regarding team captains. Japan has traditionally named a team captain, but the JOC is reviewing the practice as the pressure it places on the athlete chosen and the requirement for them to participate in pre-Games events makes selecting candidates difficult. On a trial bas...

On Sept. 20 the JAAF announced that three members of Japan's team for the Sept. 29-Oct. 5 Hangzhou Asian Games have withdrawn due to injury. According to the announcement, Arisa Kimishima , the only Japanese woman scheduled to run the 100 m and 200 m, is out with plantar fasciitis. Haruka Kokai , one of two women in the 10000 m, has sustained a stress fracture in one of her feet. Kazuto Iizawa , one of two entrants in the men's 1500 m, is suffering from lower back pain. source article: https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/114700 translated and edited by Brett Larner

The JAAF has announced the men's and women's marathon teams for this year's Budapest World Championships and Hangzhou Asian Games . Japan's MGC Race Paris Olympics marathon trials are scheduled for Oct. 15. With Budapest happening Aug. 19-27 everyone on the Budapest team will have to either double high-level marathon performances seven weeks apart or try to steal the 3rd spot on the Paris team by running a fast time at one of the major winter 2023-24 domestic marathons. With Hangzhou happening Sept. 23 to Oct. 5 it's not likely anyone named to that team will try to double, meaning either a shot at something ambitious next winter or giving Paris a miss. Between the two teams, the two fastest Japanese men at both the Osaka Marathon and Tokyo Marathon this year have been chosen. Heading to Budapest are Ichitaka Yamashita (Mitsubishi Juko), 2:05:51 for 7th in Tokyo, Kenya Sonota (JR Higashi Nihon), 2:05:59 for 8th in Tokyo, and Kazuya Nishiyama (Toyota), 2:06:45 fo...

Takeyuki Nakayama and Hiromi Taniguchi go out at 2:55/km at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games marathon. Scroll back in the video for other events from the Games.

One of the central support pillars for Gunma's top women's long distance team Yamada Denki, Kasumi Nishihara has begun her tenth year with the team. With two 10000 m national titles and representation of Japan at the World Championships to her name, Nishihara has led the team on the road in the ekiden as well. A veteran at age 31, Nishihara is still full of motivation, saying, "People talk about age, but I can still progress. More than anything else, I still think running is fun." She is excited to try to make the Tokyo Olympic team on the track, and to finally make a long-awaited marathon debut. Nishihara joined Yamada Denki in 2011 after graduating from Bukkyo University. She won the 10000 m national title twice, in 2014 and 2015. In 2014 she was 8th in the 10000 m at the Incheon Asian Games, and a year later ran at the Beijing World Championships. From 2014 through 2016 she also won the National Sports Festival 5000 m three years in a row. She also had her sha...

https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/disciplinary-process/provisional-suspensions-in-force The AIU announced today that Kenyan-born Bahraini Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa has been provisionally suspended for a positive test for EPO. Prior to disappearing at the end of 2017 after winning the Macao International Marathon  Kirwa was a familiar face in Japan, winning all seven of her races there between 2015 and 2017, taking 2nd in another in 2013, and medaling at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, 2015 Beijing World Championships and 2016 Rio Olympics. It was notable that despite her string of international medals Kirwa never ran the big European and American races after hitting that level, her only appearance in the World Marathon Majors a DNF at the 2014 Boston Marathon and her only times running the biggest European marathons coming in 2012 and 2013 in Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt, all in the 2:21-2:23 range and making the top three twice. Details of Kirwa's case are still forthc...

2014 Incheon Asian Games women's 10000 m bronze medalist Ayumi Hagiwara (Toyota Jidoshokki) has finally emerged from a long, dark tunnel. Running her first half marathon in five years this February she broke her PB by one second. "I feel as though I've managed to get the hands moving a little on a watch that had stopped," she said, measuring her words thoughtfully. Hagiwara graduated from Shizuoka's Tokoha Kikugawa H.S., joining the Uniqlo corporate team where she was coached by Hideo Suzuki who had previously led World Championships medalist Reiko Tosa to success in the marathon. With her Asian Games bronze and a run that helped the Japanese national team win the 2014 International Chiba Ekiden she quickly gained attention. But when injury struck she was forced to cancel her planned marathon debut, and things started to fall apart. She had a disastrous run in the 10000 m at the 2016 National Championships and failed to make the Rio Olympic team. When her...

On Jan. 21 the Toto corporate women's long distance team announced that 2014 Asian Games women's marathon 4th-placer Eri Hayakawa , 37, will become assistant coach starting Feb. 1. Mitsuhiro Yamamoto , 55, who coached Hayakawa prior to her retirement in 2017, will take over as head coach the same day. source article: https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2019012100995&g=spo translated by Brett Larner

72,000 paris of eyes followed a lone 19-year-old Waseda University student as he circled the track at the Olympic Stadium with effortless grace. The date was October 10, 1964, the opening day of the Tokyo Olympics. The runner was Yoshinori Sakai , the final Olympic torchbearer. Step by step he climbed the 182 stairs and, extending his right arm, ignited the flame that burst forth from the Olympic cauldron. Below him spread a sea of multicolored uniforms, and beyond the assembled teams stretched the horizons of a Tokyo in a time before modern high rise buildings. "It was the best seat in the house," Sakai recalled. Sakai was born in Miyoshi, Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 just an hour and a half after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. The perfect symbol of recovery from defeat, the foreign media dubbed him "Atomic Boy," but Sakai told foreign journalists, "The war has nothing to do with me. Please look at who I am now, today, not at the past." Sa...

The town of Isahaya, Nagasaki held a support event June 9 for native son Hiroto Inoue (MHPS) ahead of August's Jakarta Asian Games where Inoue will run the marathon. In front of 140 people including his parents and coaches Inoue vowed to succeed, saying, "I'm where I am thanks to all of you who have supported me this far. I want to get back to basics and put everything I have into winning the gold medal." Inoue graduated from Iimori J.H.S. and Chinzei Gakuin H.S. in Isahaya before attending Yamanashi Gakuin University . At February's Tokyo Marathon he ran 2:06:54 for 5th to earn his place on the Asian Games team. The support event was organized by the Isahaya Track and Field Association and the trustees of Chinzei Gakuin H.S. Isahaya Track and Field Association chairperson Atsuhiro Ogawa told Inoue, "The high temperatures in Jakarta will have a serious impact on the body, making it a race of attrition.  I hope that you arrive there in peak conditio...

http://sports.yahoo.co.jp/column/detail/201701120005-spnavi translated by Brett Larner Part two in a three-part series of writings by Yuki Kawauchi on what it took to qualify for the London World Championships, his goals for August’s main event, his views on the future of Japanese marathoning and advice to the runners to come. The original was published by Sportsnavi in Japanese. Visit the link above for more photos.   Click here for the first article in the series , "The Miracle in Fukuoka." Click here for part three, " The Lessons of the Past Are Not 'Outdated .'" Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov’t) took 3rd overall as the top Japanese finisher at the Dec. 4 Fukuoka International Marathon . That result put him into position as one of the leading contenders for the privilege of running in this summer’s London World Championships. At both the 2011 Daegu World Championships and 2013 Moscow World Championships Kawauchi finished a disappointing 18th...

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2016/12/05/kiji/K20161205013852630.html translated and edited by Brett Larner Senshu University announced on Dec. 5 that assistant coach and Senshu alum Atsushi Hasegawa , 32, has been promoted to head coach, replacing resigning head coach Kunimitsu Ito , 61.  Ito is a two-time Asian Games gold medalist on the track and ran 2:07:57 at the 1986 Beijing International Marathon.  He was head coach at the Kanebo corporate team prior to taking his position at Senshu.  Under Ito's leadership Senshu made the Hakone Ekiden only once, in 2014.

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/03/01/kiji/K20150301009898830.html translated by Brett Larner 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games men's marathon silver medalist Yukihiro Kitaoka (32, Team NTN) announced his retirement on Mar. 1 following the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon.  In the future he will join NTN's coaching staff, helping to develop its next generation of athletes. At Lake Biwa Kitaoka finished 74th in 2:27:03.  "I wanted to run one more good race, but things didn't go very well this last year," he said.  "The decision to retire leaves me feeling free and clear."

http://www.sankei.com/sports/news/150222/spo1502220024-n1.html translated by Brett Larner Just over 30 minutes into the Tokyo Marathon, 2014 Asian Games silver medalist Kohei Matsumura (Team Mitsubishi Juko Nagasaki) was already showing strain on his face.  Around 12 km he suddenly fell back from the lead group never to return, finishing 25th in 2:16:25.  "Am I shocked?  I guess so..." he said in a thin voice post-race.  "I felt it in my legs right from the start."  In past races he has been able to pick it up partway through, but this time he was unable to focus and get into a steady rhythm.  "I just couldn't get it together today," he said. Last year Matsumura was the top Japanese finisher in Tokyo, 8th in 2:08:09.  At the Asian Games he won the silver medal in the marathon.  Aware of his status as Japan's top current marathon, pre-race he enthusiastically said, "My goal is 2:07.  I want to live up to expectations."  But those s...

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20141019-00000091-spnannex-spo translated by Brett Larner Enough with the hate mail.  Marathoner Yuki Kawauchi (27, Saitama Pref. Gov't) returned to the Chiba Aqualine Marathon , where he is the course record holder, to run its half marathon on Oct. 19, winning in 1:04:22 and beating 2nd place by more than 5 minutes.  "I had fun today!  I was grinning the whole time I was running," he said with a smile.  "I held my pace steadily and even picked it up at the end." His shot for a gold medal in the Asian Games marathon ending in bronze, Kawauchi has excused himself from running any of the domestic selection races for the Japanese team for next summer's World Championships marathon in Beijing, China.  Taking himself out of contention for the national team for the time being has lightened Kawauchi's load and left him feeling free.  "Up to now I've always had to worry about my time and place when I ran," h...

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/10/13/kiji/K20141013009092370.html translated and edited by Brett Larner The civil servant runner has pushed the reset button.  In his first race since his Asian Games men's marathon bid ended in a bronze medal nine days ago , Yuki Kawauchi (27, Saitama Pref. Gov't) ran the Kitami Half Marathon in Kitami, Hokkaido on Sunday, crossing the line first in 1:04:33.  Because he missed winning the gold medal at the Asian Games and its accompanying place on the Japanese team for next summer's World Championships in Beijing, China, Kawauchi will sit out the rest of the domestic selection races for the Beijing team.  Instead he will next race November's New York City Marathon, following his own route to becoming a better athlete.

http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/summer/athletics/1023133-exclusive-middle-distance-legend-kipketer-warns-of-dangers-of-athletes-switching-nationality

http://www.ktn.co.jp/news/2014/10/%E3%82%A2%E3%82%B8%E3%82%A2%E5%A4%A7%E4%BC%9A%E9%99%B8%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E9%8A%80%E3%81%AE%E6%9D%BE%E6%9D%91%E9%81%B8%E6%89%8B%E3%81%8C%E4%BC%9A%E8%A6%8B.php translated by Brett Larner The silver medal winner in the Asian Games men's marathon that took place Oct. 3 in Incheon, South Korea, Kohei Matsumura (Team Mitsubishi Juko Nagasaki) took part in a press conference Oct.6 at Mitsubishi Juko Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works following his return to Japan. Speaking three days after the Asian Games race where he was the top Japanese finisher and won the silver medal, Matsumura said, "More than happiness the main thing I feel is disappointment," the 1-second margin between him and gold at the forefront of his mind.  "I was targeting the win, so even when I actually received the medal at the ceremony I only felt disappointment.  As time goes by that feeling is only getting stronger, to my disappointment." The Asian Gam...

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/10/04/kiji/K20141004009042500.html http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/asia/2014/news/p-sp-tp0-20141004-1377183.html http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/10/04/kiji/K20141004009044120.html http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/asia/2014/news/f-sp-tp0-20141005-1377940.html http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2014/10/04/kiji/K20141004009042480.html translated and edited by Brett Larner Following the closing ceremonies of the Incheon Asian Games on Oct. 4, marathoners Kohei Matsumura (Team Mitsubishi Juko Nagasaki) and Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) returned to Japan the afternoon of Oct. 5 with the main group of the Japanese delegation.  JAAF Director of Men's Marathoning Takeshi Soh commented, "Neither of them ran spectacularly.  They didn't seem to have much confidence." In his international debut Matsumura won the silver medal in just his fourth marathon.  "I was going for gold, so I'm c...

by Brett Larner Japan picked up 3 gold medals, 12 silver and 7 bronze at the 2014 Asian Games, far short of the Federation's target of ten golds but for many of the silvers agonizing close to having crossed over to the top.  Chisato Fukushima by 0.01 seconds in the women's 100 m, Kohei Matsumura 1 second away in the men's marathon, Suguru Osako 0.74 out of gold in the men's 10000 m after leading until the final straight, Takayuki Kishimoto out by 0.10 in the men's 400 mH and pole vaulter Daichi Sawano clearing the same height, 5.55 m, as gold medalist Changrui Xue (China).  If things had gone just slightly differently the gold haul could have been very close to target. The three gold medals Japan did win all came from the men on the team.  Takayuki Tanii 's was the biggest, a meet record 3:40:19 in the 50 km racewalk, along with favorite Keisuke Ushiro 's 8088 win in the decathlon and the 4x400 m relay team's 3:01.88 gold less than 0.20 off Jap...