A native of Uwajishima, Ehime, a new chapter is starting in the life of men's marathon national record holder Kengo Suzuki , 30. On Oct. 8 he announced that he is quitting the Fujitsu corporate team to which he has belonged for 8 years to go independent. His new main sponsor will be a major food product manufacturer, who will support him in his shot at making the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics team. Suzuki ran the National High School Ekiden as a 3rd-year at Uwajishima Higashi H.S. . His 3rd year at Kanagawa University he won the 93rd Hakone Ekiden's most competitive leg, the Second Stage, making him determined to pursue a future as a marathoner. He joined Fujitsu after graduating in 2018, and in January, 2021 played a key role in the team winning its first New Year Ekiden national title in 12 years. A month later he ran 2:04:56 to win the Biwako Mainichi Marathon, a national record that still stands. In recent years he has suffered from a series of injuries, causing his star to l...
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