japan running news

by Brett Larner The official 2009 Osaka International Women's Marathon preview video. The third official selection race for Japan's women's marathon team at the 2009 Berlin World Championships takes place this Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Osaka International Women's Marathon . Last year's Olympic selection race edition of Osaka saw the memorable marathon debut of half marathon national record holder Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal), a spectacular failure in which Fukushi ran near 2:20 pace in the first half only to finish in the 2:40's with a bloody face and bruised pride. This year's Osaka promises even more drama: a duel between Fukushi's fellow Beijing 10000 m Olympians, former marathon national record holder and current 10000 m national record holder Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) and, in her marathon debut, Japan's popular 'mama-san' runner Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren). With the complete failure of Japanese marathoning at the Beijing Ol...

by Brett Larner The Osaka International Women’s Marathon has released the list of elite entrants for its 2009 running on Jan. 25, a competition which doubles as the second selection race for the Japanese national team at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. At the top of the field are former Japanese national record holder Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) and Ethiopian Worknesh Tola, both of whom clocked 2:25 times in their best marathons of 2008. While Tola’s time came in a 2nd-place finish at the Paris Marathon in April, Shibui’s came in a 4th-place meltdown after she attempted to run under 2:20 at November’s final Tokyo International Women’s Marathon. Aside from a potential challenge from two-time World Championships marathoner Yumiko Hara (Team Kyocera), Osaka would likely end up a match race between Shibui and Tola were it not for the presence of marathon debutantes Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren) and Peninah Arusei (Kenya). Both women ran low-1:08 half marathons in 2008, ...

by Brett Larner update: Quotes translated from http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2008040600195 . Running in less than ideal conditions of wind and rain, Japanese national marathon record holder Toshinari Takaoka finished 16th in the Paris Marathon on Apr. 6. His time of 2:11:21 was far from his national record of 2:06:16 set at the 2003 Chicago Marathon but marked an improvement over his other recent marathons. Takaoka was injured during 2006 and spent much of 2007 in recovery. "I thought I could break 2:10," said Takaoka, "but it was still a good race. The headwinds after 35 km were just too much. I'm glad I did it, and this isn't the end for me. I still have other things I want to do. Next year there are the World Championships." The Paris Marathon was won by Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede in an excellent time of 2:06:40, only 7 seconds off the course record. Kenyan Moses Arusei also broke 2:07, running 2:06:50 for 2nd place. Two more runners broke 2:08, a...