japan running news

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000088340&story_title=Kenya-japan-based-karoki-and-tanui-beat-rivals-cherono-wins-10-000m-title

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2013/02/24/kiji/K20130224005268200.html
http://dena.jp/press/2013/02/post-125.php

translated and edited by Brett Larner

With Team S&B's longstanding sponsorship set to be eliminated at the end of next month due to a streamlining of operations, Kensuke Takezawa, 26, announced that he will not join the rest of the team in moving to new sponsor DeNA.  His plans remain undecided.

A 2008 Beijing Olympics track team member, Takezawa commented, "My path forward is something that I ultimately want to find by myself, under my own strength, and for this reason I've decided not to move with the team.  I need to re-examine myself and carefully consider the best course of action."

The new DeNA team will become an official entity on April 1.  Previous announcements had said that all athletes and staff from the S&B team would transfer together.

Kensuke Takezawa: Born Oct. 11, 1986 in Hyogo.
3000 m: 7:49.26     5000 m: 13:19.00     10000 m:…

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/news/20130107-OYT1T00153.htm
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNZO50328070X00C13A1UU8000/

translated and edited by Brett Larner

On Dec. 6 the management of the S&B Foods men's athletics team, scheduled to lose its decades-long sponsorship at the end of March, announced that the team has signed a new deal with Tokyo-based mobile phone video game maker DeNA, owner of the Yokohama Baystars pro baseball team.  The new DeNA team, led by current S&B sports promotions director and former marathon great Toshihiko Seko, 56, will be made up of twelve members including six athletes and six support staff. Seko will serve as the supervisory head coach, with current S&B coach Hiroshi Tako handling regular coaching duties.

The S&B team includes the likes of 5000 m and 10000 m Beijing Olympian Kensuke Takezawa, but in August last year came the sudden announcement of S&B's termination of its sponsorship.  Seko's primary goal in finding a ne…

http://kyushu.yomiuri.co.jp/news-spe/20090507-606401/news/20121214-OYS1T00783.htm

translated by Brett Larner

At the 43rd Hofu Yomiuri Marathon on Dec. 16, Noriaki Takahashi, 30, will be making his last appearance in the legendary S&B uniform before the team's dissolution in March.  Takahashi hopes his race will join the long and illustrious list of S&B athletes' achievements capped by Toshihiko Seko's ten marathon wins in fifteen starts.  "This is my last chance to do something big in the S&B uniform," he says with decision.

Takahashi was born in Hokota, Ibaraki.  Under the coaching of S&B alumnus Hiroshi Tako since his second year at Chuo University Takahashi's talent bloomed.  His senior year he finished 3rd on the Hakone Ekiden's ace stage, but after joining the Subaru corporate team he went through a long period of serial injuries.  Day by day he watched his dream of becoming a top-class marathoner slip away.

In 2009 Takahashi transferr…

http://www.asahi.com/sports/column/TKY200907250112.html

translated by Brett Larner



In the National Track and Field Championships 5000 m last month, Yuichiro 'Big Mouth' Ueno's usual stupidity was nowhere to be seen.* Hanging back at the rear of the lead pack, Ueno bided his time before attacking to take his first national title. Watching the race, Hiroshi Tako, Ueno's coach since his early days at Chuo University, commented, "Hmmn, this isn't like him at all." That's how much Ueno wanted to make his first World Championships team.



Three days later came the 1500 m. Right from the first lap Ueno took off at a dash. All the real middle distance runners in the race waited as they followed their carefully-built race plans. On the last lap the leaders tried to run Ueno down, but it was too late. "Man, it's pretty weak that nobody even tried to race me," he said in his post-race interview. Ueno became the first person in 24 years to win the 1500 m…