japan running news

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2009120100951 translated by Brett Larner On Dec. 1 the Meiji Seika corporation announced that on Nov. 30 it had terminated its sponsorship of Bejing Olympics men's marathon gold medalist Samuel Wanjiru (23). In November last year Wanjiru signed a lucrative one-year contract with Meiji Seika to endorse the Savas sports supplement, but this year the company declined to renew the contract. A spokesperson for Meiji Seika cited "a change in our marketing plans" in explaining the move. The company is also cancelling the official team registration of its Team Sam. Wanjiru was born in Kenya, coming to Japan as a teenager to attend Sendai Ikuei H.S. where he became a nationally-known face on the ekiden circuit. After graduating he joined Team Toyota Kyushu but quit last summer shortly before the Beijing Olympics. Wanjiru holds the half-marathon world record and set his marathon PB of 2:05:10 at last April's London Marathon, a ...

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/economy/business/081128/biz0811281823010-n1.htm translated by Brett Larner Meiji Seika Chief of Operations Ryoji Kono with Samuel Wanjiru in Tokyo Nov. 28. On Nov. 28, Savas sports supplement maker Meiji Seika and Beijing Olympics men's marathon gold medalist Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya held a promotional event to formally kick off the company's sponsorship agreement. Wanjiru debuted the new Savas uniform he will wear in competition and announced plans to appear in TV commercials. Meiji Seika will provide Wanjiru with a supply of Savas and offer professional nutrition advice.* The initial agreement between the two parties will last for one year, with options for renewal at least through the London Olympics. Wanjiru intends to keep Japan as the main base for his training. He told reporters, "Drinking Savas will help me break the world record." *Translator's note: The original announcement of Meiji Seika's sponsorship agreement mentioned t...

http://www.asahi.com/sports/update/1111/SEB200811110022.html translated by Brett Larner Management for Beijing Olympics men's marathon gold medalist Samuel Wanjiru (22, Kenya) announced on Nov. 11 that Wanjiru has signed a sponsorship deal with Meiji Seika, makers of the sports supplement Savas . The two parties signed a contract extending from Nov. 1 through Nov. 2009 but have an agreement for the company's sponsorship to continue until 2018, a period covering the 2016 Olympics, with a total value of USD $3 million over this ten year span. The sponsorship deal frees Wanjiru to focus on his goals of a world record in the marathon and a second Olympic gold medal. In return Wanjiru will wear the Savas logo on his uniform, an arrangement similar to Savas' sponsorship of Japan's top soccer team, the J1 League Urawa Reds. Wanjiru graduated from Miyagi Prefecture's Sendai Ikuei High School and joined Team Toyota Kyushu is 2005. Just before this summer's Beijing Olympi...