japan running news

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sports/2019/03/663_265675.html Background on this story: South Korea Plans to Give Citizenship to Kenyan Athlete to Ensure Marathon Gold at Rio Olympic s - Mar. 19, 2015 Kenyan Marathon Runner Erupe to Enter South Korea Next Week to Begin Naturalization Procedures - Apr. 11, 2015 Special Session to Decide Tomorrow Whether Erupe Will Become South Korea's First Black Marathoner - Apr. 5, 2016 Kenyan Marathoner Erupe Gains South Korean Citizenship, But Not in Time for Tokyo Olympics - Aug. 5, 2018

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2016/04/07/2016040701678.html

http://japanese.donga.com/List/3/all/27/531014/1 http://english.donga.com/List/3/06/26/528066/1 translated and edited by Brett Larner The symbol of yin and yang upon his chest, a black man may become the first of his kind to represent South Korea in the marathon.  On April 6 the Korean Sports Council (KSC) will hold a session to deliberate on a special recommendation of naturalization for Kenyan-born marathoner Wilson Loyanae Erupe (28, Cheongyang).  Erupe also has the Korean name Joo Han Oh , meaning "I will run for Korea."  The KSC previously held a session on Erupe's naturalization on January 7 but, citing a lack of adequate documentation concerning Erupe's prior suspension for performance-enhancing drug use, postponed making a recommendation.  Erupe claimed that, "The positive result was due to medicine I took for malaria, but Athletics Kenya did not accept this and suspended me for two years." Following the postponement of the recommendation, th...

2015 was a complex year in Japan with lots to get excited about, a new generation of talent finally starting to break through the wall, multiple national records and world record-setting depth in what seemed like just about every major race, countered by embarrassingly bad World Championships performances, 2020 Tokyo Olympics organizational snafus that ranged from incompetent to much worse, and the consequences of the country's race organizers' and elite athlete coordinators' ready willingness to deal with people who trade freely in dirty athletes finally starting to come home to roost.  JRN's top ten most-read articles of 2015: 1. Hakone Champion AGU's Isshiki Leads 27 under 1:03 and 265 Sub-1:06 at National University Half Marathon Championships - Mar. 1 Tadashi Isshiki , a 2nd-year at 2015 Hakone Ekiden champion Aoyama Gakuin University , ran 1:02:11 to top a field that produced historic results including a world record 265 men under 1:06:00 and 643 under 1:...

http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3003692&cloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist2 Background on this story: Part 1 - Part 2 Note: Sohn Kee Chung competed in the 1936 Olympics under the Japanese flag during the Japanese occupation of Korea.

http://japanese.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2015041046598 translated by Brett Larner After shining as the champion of the 2015 Seoul International Marathon, Wilson Loyanae Erupe (Kenya, 27), has taken the first step toward South Korean naturalization.  Serving as Erupe's coach and domestic representative, on April 9 Professor Chang Seok Oh of Baekseok University told reporters, "Erupe signed a contract with the South Chungcheong Provincial Sports Association on April 8 and received a foreign registration number from immigration authorities." After winning the March 15 Seoul International Marathon in 2:06:11 Erupe indicated that he was interested in transferring his citizenship to South Korea .  He plans to enter South Korea next week on an E-6 Entertainer and Performer visa to begin naturalization procedures with the support of the Korean Association of Athletics Associations (KAAF).  A Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) spokesperson commented, "Above all, th...

http://www.focus-asia.com/socioeconomy/photonews/412320/ translated by Brett Larner According to South Korea's Dong-A Ilbo news organization, the South Korean Athletics Federation intends to go forward with a plan to offer citizenship to Kenyan Wilson Loyanae Erupe , winner of the men's race at last weekend's Seoul International Marathon, so that he can win the gold medal wearing South Korean colors at next year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics.  The news appeared in the March 18 edition of the Gyeongju Daily. At the Seoul International Marathon on March 15 Erupe won in 2:06:11, a race he also won three years ago.  His representative, who serves as director of the South Korean Athletics Federation, commented, "Erupe wants to get South Korean citizenship so that he can run the Rio Olympics for South Korea next year."  The transfer would require the approval of Athletics Kenya, but since Erupe is not a member of the Kenyan national team, the South Korean side sai...

by Brett Larner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) returned to the race where he set his 2:08:14 PB two years ago, running the Dong-A Seoul International Marathon in South Korea on Mar. 15.  As Kenyan Wilson Loyanae Erupe , returning from a two-year ban for EPO, led an all-African lead pack to a 2:06:11 win, Kawauchi, working his way back from injuries originating with a sprained ankle in December, ran in the second pack with South Korea's Yu Seung Yeup and Sim Joung Seu on mid-2:12 pace.  After a slower split from 30 to 35 km Yeup dropped a surge that neither Seu nor Kawauchi could follow, running alone over the last 5 km to take 14th in 2:13:10.  Seu and Kawauchi stayed together through 40 km before Seu kicked for 15th in 2:13:28, Kawauchi coming through 5 seconds back in 2:13:33 in the fastest time he has run so far this year. In the women's race Ethiopian Guteni Shone Imana pulled away from the lead pack near halfway, soloing the second half to win in 2:26:2...