japan running news

On Aug. 29 the JAAF announced that Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) has withdrawn from the Oct. 15 Marathon Grand Championship race, Japan's trials event for the 2024 Paris Olympics marathon team. Dairokuno is reported to be suffering from tibial periostitis in his left leg due to overuse. A native of Kagoshima, Dairokuno is 30 years old. While at Meiji University he won the 8th Stage at the 2014 National University Ekiden, and since joining the Asahi Kasei corporate team has been a member of three national champion lineups at the New Year Ekiden. His PBs include 13:28.61 for 5000 m, 27:46.55 for 10000 m, and 1:01:32 for the half marathon. At the 2021 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon he ran his 2:07:21 marathon best. source article: https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/113235 translated by Brett Larner

After seeing its final edition in Shiga last year and then being absorbed into the Osaka Marathon  in March this year, the legacy of the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon will continue with a successor race to be held on Mar. 12 next year. Since the previous event wrapped up, the Shiga prefectural government has been examining holding a mass-participation race celebrating the tradition of the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon and has been looking at potential course and date options. In January they sought suggestions for a name for the event and selected "Lake Biwa Marathon" from among the submissions. The organizing committee came together in April to determine the new event's date and course. The race will begin at Ojiyama Field, historical starting point of the former race, and will cross Omi Bridge before heading north along Lake Biwa's eastern shore. Covering 42.195 km, it will feature a turnaround point in Moriyama before finishing at Lake Biwa Museum located on the Kara...

It's a fast new world in Japanese men's marathoning, and one of its exciting new stars comes to it straight out of Kyushu. His name is Kyohei Hosoya  (25, Kurosaki Harima). In just his second marathon he ran 2:06:35 for 3rd at February's Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon , ranking him at all-time Japanese #6. In college he was mostly sidelined with injury, but since joining the corporate leagues his abilities have come into full flower. Now, with the 2024 Paris Olympics in his sights, he's poised to make another great leap forward. When the race in Lake Biwa began Hosoya was just an unknown 25-year-old, but when he hit the finish line he'd inked his name on the list of top candidates for the Paris Olympics. What once was just a dream is now a realistic goal. "I'd had some vague hopes before about representing Japan," he said, "but now that feeling is burning bright."  Someone who has been involved with Hosoya's athletic career had often told hi...

The organizers of the Tokyo Marathon held a special board meeting Mar. 19 to discuss plans for staging this year's race on Oct. 17. As a measure to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the decision was made to reduce the field size from 38,000 to 25,000 participants. The race's slogan will be "The Day When Tokyo Once Again Becomes One." Entries will be open Mar. 22 to 31. Rough guidelines were also established for the process by which the final decision on whether the race can go ahead will be made. If a state of emergency is declared within a month prior to the marathon, it will be canceled at that time. "Holding a safe and secure event is our number one priority," commented an official.  International entries will be accepted. Because the 2020 edition of the race was held with only elite athletes, mass-participation runners were given the option of transferring their entries to either the 2021 or 2022 editions. Roughly 7,000 people opted to run 2021, mea...

Entries for the Feb. 28 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon closed on Jan. 22. With most other races having canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus crisis, this year we received nearly double our normal number of applications for entry. We extend our deepest thanks to everyone who applied.   We have explored options for putting on the race with such a large field but have determined that it would not be possible to safely execute all of our planned coronavirus countermeasures. As a result, we have introduced the following revised entry standards based on World Athletics scoring points: 10000 m: 30:40.00 half marathon: 1:07:29 marathon: 2:27:30 After checking proof of qualification from each entrant, on Jan. 25 we sent notification to all those who were unable to participate under these standards. Information regarding refund of entry fees was included. Those eligible to participate will be notified around Feb. 5, on which date we will hold a virtual press conference to announce the e...