japan running news

by Brett Larner Click photo for video highlights courtesy of NHK. Windy conditions kept times slow overall, but aging former world record holder Paul Tergat (Kenya) overcame his opponents in an international group of five to win the 2009 Biwako Mainichi Marathon in a time of 2:10:22, his first marathon win since the 2005 New York City Marathon and only the third marathon win of his career. Tergat dropped two-time Biwako winner Jose Rios (Spain) at the 41 km mark to seal his win after sitting in the pack for 29 km and then running with Rios, Yared Asmerom (Eritrea), Masaya Shimizu (Japan) and Abiyot Guta (Ethiopia) for 12 km. Rios finished 2nd in 2:10:36, with Asmerom just outkicking Shimizu for 3rd in 2:10:49. In his post-race interview Tergat was pleased with his performance and showed his keen political sense as he commented, "I'm happy I won the race. It was a great competition with great athletes, and incredible that until 35 km we were about six athletes. Amazing was the...

http://www.iaaf.org/LRR09/news/newsid=49499.html

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2009022600881 translated by Brett Larner The 42.195 km Biwako Mainichi Marathon takes place Mar. 1 in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. As a selection race for August's World Championships in Berlin, the top Japanese finisher will automatically earn a spot on the team. With all five of the domestic invited elites close in ability the race will likely come down to who is best able to summon up a strong finish. The Japanese runner with the best time is Yuzo Onishi (Team Nissin Shokuhin), who set his mark of 2:08:54 at last year's Biwako where he was 4th. In the same race Tomoya Shimizu (Team Sagawa Express) was 5th, running 2:09:23 in his marathon debut. Both runners are looking for a big leap in their performances this year. Shimizu's twin brother Masaya (Team Asahi Kasei) and veterans Kazutoshi Takatsuka (Team Komori Corp.) and Takashi Ota (Team Konica Minolta) make up the rest of the invited domestic field. After the failure of Japanese men...

by Brett Larner On Feb. 18 the Biwako Mainichi Marathon released the elite field for this year's running to be held on Sun., Mar. 1. Headlining the field is former marathon world record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya. The 39 year old Tergat was scheduled to run the 2007 Fukuoka International Marathon but withdrew at the last moment citing required military service, meaning that Biwako, also known as Lake Biwa and Otsu, will be his first time appearing in a marathon in Japan. Among the foreign competition facing Tergat are last year's runner-up Yared Asmerom (Eritrea) and past champion Jose Rios (Spain). Both Asmerom and Rios recorded their personal bests on the Biwako course. Also on the bill are Abderrahime Bouramdane (Morocco), Abiyot Guta (Ethiopia), Vitaliy Shafar (Ukraine) and Pawel Ochal (Poland). Biwako is a selection race for the Japanese men's marathon team for the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The top Japanese finisher will earn a spot on the team, and other r...

by Brett Larner The next selection race for the Japanese men's marathon team for the 2009 World Championships in Berlin takes place Mar. 1 at the Biwako Mainichi Marathon , one of Japan's most prestigious elite races. Biwako, also known as the Lake Biwa Marathon and usually referred to in official listings as the Otsu marathon after the town in which the race takes place, became Japan's first IAAF Gold Label road race earlier this year in a suprising move possibly designed to counter main sponsor Rohm's withdrawal of support following this year's race. Biwako's future may be in question but as a World Championships selection race this year's edition is sure to continue the event's history of offering the spring's most dramatic domestic men's racing. Biwako has not yet released its official entry list, but below is a compilation of athletes who have thus far publicly declared an intent to run. The official entry list should be available within the...

http://www.asahi.com/sports/update/0219/OSK200802190031.html http://www.sponichi.co.jp/osaka/spor/200802/20/spor207728.html translated and edited by Brett Larner The organizing committee of final selection race for the Beijing Olympics men's marathon team, the Mar. 2nd Biwako Mainichi Marathon , on Feb. 19 announced the field for this year's race. Headlining the field with a 2:08:46 PB is Osaka World Championships 6th place finisher and 2006 Asian Games bronze medalist Satoshi Osaki (Team NTT Nishi Nihon). Joining him are Osaka World Championships teammates Tomoyuki Sato and Mitsuru Kubota, both of Team Asahi Kasei. Overseas competitors include Osaka World Championships silver medalist Mubarak Hassan Shami (Qatar) and 4th place finisher Yared Asmeron (Eritrea), as well as 2-time Biwako winner Jose Rios (Spain) and past Fukuoka International Marathon winner Dmytro Baranovsky (Ukraine) who holds a PB of 2:07:15. 2007 Fukuoka 3rd place finisher Atsushi Sato leads the standings to ...