Naoko Takahashi has pulled out of the Sunday's Tokyo International Ladies Marathon because of the stress fracture of a rib.
   
Although her injury was diagnosed on November 5, after she returned to Japan from Boulder Colorado, Takahashi was still adamant about running the race and continued to train for it.  Meanwhile her final decision whether to run the race or not was delayed several times, but finally on 15 November, she announced her withdrawal.
 
With Takahashi, the absolute favourite out, the race is now wide open. 

This is not the first time Takahashi has pulled out of a race at the last minute.  In 1999, she pulled out of the World Championships marathon just a few hours before the race due to a knee injury which she sustained in Boulder during her high altitude training for Sevilla.

Her original plan in 1999 was to qualify for the Olympics at the World Championships. 

Takahashi’s aim this year was to qualify for the 2003 IAAF World Championships at the Tokyo Ladies  Marathon. The first Japanese in the race qualifies for Paris provided she runs sub 2:26.

Because Takahashi also wished to qualify for the Olympic marathon team at the earliest possible time, she particularly wanted to run in Paris, which is the first qualifying race for the Japanese Olympic marathon team.

The highest placed Japanese medal winner in Paris is guaranteed an Olympic spot. 

Takahashi now has two more possible qualifying races: the Osaka Ladies marathon in January of 2003 and Nagoya Women's marathon in March 2003.  It is not certain which race, if any, Takahashi will run in her attempt to qualify for Paris.