japan running news

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20071213i401.htm http://beijing2008.nikkansports.com/athletics/p-sp-tp0-20071213-294906.html translated by Brett Larner On Dec. 12, Sydney Olympics women`s marathon gold medallist and former women`s marathon world record holder Naoko Takahashi (35, Team Phiten) announced that she will attempt to qualify for the Beijing Olympics at the Nagoya International Marathon next March. Until now Takahashi had not announced whether she would try to make the Olympic team at January`s Osaka International Women`s Marathon or Nagoya. Reiko Tosa (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) holds one of the three slots on the Beijing Olympic Team thanks to her bronze medal performance at this summer`s Osaka World Championships. The course record 2:21:37 victory by Mizuki Noguchi (Team Sysmex) at November`s Tokyo International Women`s Marathon makes her an almost certainty for the second position on the team, leaving one space to be decided between Osaka and Nagoya. On the same ...

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/top/sp200711/sp2007111405.html translated by Mika Tokairin and Brett Larner On Nov. 13, the JAAF announced the runners for the Nov. 23 Chiba International Ekiden , an event which will see the top runners in the world handing off the tasuki. This year the ekiden will feature mixed teams of male and female runners for the first time. Men will be running odd-numbered legs. The Japanese team will include Osaka World Championships marathon 5th place finisher Tsuyoshi Ogata (34, Team Chugoku Denryoku; pictured top right) and university star runners Kensuke Takezawa (21, Waseda University) and Yuichiro Ueno (22, Chuo University). Women will run even-numbered legs, with stars like Osaka World Championships 10000 m representative Kayoko Fukushi (25, Team Wacoal) appearing as team members. The Chiba International Ekiden is a historic event which is changing format this year. Elite runners whom Japan will proudly present are gathering in Chiba for the race. With this...

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/sports/other/071113/oth0711131823002-n1.htm translated by Brett Larner The JAAF today released the team entry lists for this year`s Chiba International Ekiden, to be held November 23rd at the Chiba Prefectural Sogo Sport Center Stadium. The strong Japanese team includes Osaka World Championships marathon 5th place finisher Tsuyoshi Ogata (Team Chugoku Denryoku), the great young hopes of the Japanese distance running world Kensuke Takezawa (Waseda University) and Yuichiro Ueno (Chuo University), and Japanese national 5000 m and half-marathon record holder Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal). The format of this race has been revised in its 19th edition to feature mixed teams of men and women running together for the first time. The sight of leaders such as Ogata and Fukushi running together on the same team and passing the tasuki [sash] to each other will be a first in the Japanese distance running scene. Last year`s men`s and women`s winners Kenya will be returning ag...