News15 Mar 2004


Logic dictates Takahashi will not defend Olympic title - Japanese Olympic Marathon team is announced

FacebookTwitterEmail

Noguchi running in the 2002 Nagoya Marathon (© Rikujyo Kyogi Magazine)

In a stunning but very logical decision, the Japanese federation (JAAF) has not selected Naoko Takahashi the reigning Olympic champion for the Athens team.

Takahashi the fourth fastest women's Marathon runner of all-time (2:19:46) and the first to break through the 2 hours 20 minutes barrier, was the slowest of the potential candidates for the two remaining Olympic berths. NB. Mizuki Noguchi was pre-selected due to her World silver medal in Paris last summer.

In terms of qualification for this summer's Games, Takahashi 'only' had a best of 2:27:21 from when finishing second in the Tokyo Marathon selection race (16 Nov 2003).

Instead of the defending champion, Japan has opted for a women’s team consisting of the pre-selected Mizuki Noguchi (2nd in World Champs, Paris, 2:24:14), and Naoko Sakamoto (1st in Osaka, 2:25:29) and Reiko Tosa (1st in Nagoya, 2:23:57), both of whom had better qualification times than Takahashi.

The men’s team was also announced at the same time on Monday 15 March - Tomoaki Kunichika (1st in Fukuoka), Shigeru Aburaya (fifth in Paris) and Toshinari Suwa (2nd in Fukuoka). 

Here are the short bios for the team members: 

Women: 

Mizuki Noguchi 

A marathon silver medallist at the 2003 World Championships in Paris with 2:24:14, Noguchi was automatically selected for the Olympic team when she crossed the finish line, for the first Japanese with the medal at the World Championships was guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team.

Ever since she moved up tothe half marathon in 1999, Noguchi was known as the queen of  the distance in Japan, having finished second, fourth and fourth in the 1999 to 2001 World Half Marathon Championships.  She also competed at 10,000m in the 2001 World Championships, where she finished 13th. 

Noguchi made a long awaited marathon debut at the 2002 Nagoya Women’s Marathon, which she won with 2:25:35.  Although Noguchi was trying to set a marathon debut record, less than ideal weather prevented her from doing so. 
 
In her second marathon, 2003 Osaka Ladies Marathon, Noguchi moved up a notch to become a truly world class marathon runner, when she won her second consecutive marathon in 2:21:18, the second fastest time by a Japanese woman in history. 

Naoko Sakamoto

Sakamoto made a spectacular marathon debut at the 2003 Osaka Ladies marathon. Challenging Mizuki Noguchi all the way, Sakamoto ran very aggressively and finished third in 2:21:51.  It was the second fastest debut time in history; only Paula Radcliffe has run faster in a debut. With this race, Sakamoto was selected for the World Championships marathon team. In Paris she finished fourth with 2:25:25. 

In both races, Sakamoto ran aggressively only to be passed by Masako Chiba in the final stage of the race. She was determined to change all that in the 2003 Osaka Ladies Marathon. It was a very slow tactical race at the beginning, at which point Sakamoto decided to go for the victory, she covered 30Km to 35Km in 15:47, which is exactly what is required to medal at the global championships level. 

Influenced by her father, Sakamoto started running in elementary school, but was a mediocre runner at best in high school. She transformed herself after joining the Tenmaya track team. She was first noticed in 2001 when she recorded 1:09:27 in the All Japan corporate team half marathon championships.  A year later in the 2002 Sapporo Half marathon, Sakamoto was third in 1:09:55, which set up for the stunning marathon debut in the 2003 Osaka Ladies Marathon. In each of her three marathons so far, Sakamoto has transformed herself into a better marathon runner. 

Reiko Tosa:

A marathon silver medallist in the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton, Tosa recorded the personal best in the 2002 London marathon – 2:22:46, third fastest marathon time by a Japanese. 

A mediocre runner in high school and college, Tosa improved dramatically after joining Mitsui Kaijyo team in 1999.  In the same year, Tosa was sixth in the Sapporo Half marathon and was selected for the World Half Marathon championships team.  She was sixth with 1:09:36 in Palermo. 

Although Tosa made a marathon debut while in college (2:54:47 when she was junior in college), her first serious marathon was in the 2000 Nagoya Women’s Marathon. Tosa finished second to Naoko Takahashi in 2:24:36, fourth fastest time in Japanese all-time list.

Eight months later in Tokyo Women’s Marathon, Tosa ran aggressively passing the half marathon in 1:10:46.  Although she was caught by Joyce Chepchumba, Tosa recorded 2:24:47, which selected her for the World Championships team. In the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton, after the thrilling duel with the Olympic silver medalist Lidia Simon, Tosa finished a close second in 2:26:06.  

After setting a personal best at the 2002 London Marathon, Tosa’s career was plagued with injury problems. She was originally scheduled to run in the 2003 Tokyo International marathon in her attempt to qualify for the Olympic team, but injury prevented her from taking part in the race.  So she set her sights on the 2004 Nagoya Marathon instead.  Despite another injury problem in January, which set her back, Tosa run aggressively.  On a course generally considered slow, Tosa recorded 2:23:57. 

Men:

Tomoaki Kunichika

Tomoaki Kunichika made an auspicious marathon debut in the 1998 Tokyo International Marathon – 2:11:28 for the sixth place.  A year later in the 1999 Fukuoka International marathon, Kunichika attempted to make the Olympic marathon team, but only finished sixth, third Japanese, with 2:10:10; his Olympic dream was shattered. 

Looking for the better environment to train, Kunichika moved to the S&B Foods team in the spring of 2000.  He was coached by the legendary marathon runner Toshihiko Seko, but had to struggle with the distance for more than two years.  He dropped out of the 2000 Fukuoka marathon and finished 8th with 2:15:59 in the 2002 Fukuoka Marathon. 

Kunichika finally saw the light in the 2003 Lake Biwa Marathon when he finished 8th with 2:10:42.  Later in the season Kunichika was 2nd at 10,000m in the national championships, and then set a personal best – 28:05.38 - in September.  

In his sixth marathon in the 2003 Fukuoka Marathon, Kunichika was ready.  He won the race with a huge personal best, 2:07:52; in the process, Kunichika defeated Toshinari Takaoka, the Asian Marathon record holder. 

Shigeru Aburaya

Fifth at the marathon in both 2001 and 2003 World Championships, Aburaya’s name is synonymous with consistency.  He has never run a bad marathon. 

A mediocre runner in high school, Aburaya’s breakthrough year was 1998 when he finished fifth at the All Japan Corporate team half marathon championships.  A year later after finishing second in the same race, he was 23rd in the 1999 World Half Marathon championships.

His marathon debut was at 2000 Lake Biwa Marathon where he finished 7th with 2:10:48.  A year later he improved his personal best to 2:07:52 for the third place finish and selected for the World Championships team.  In Edmonton, Aburaya finished fifth in 2:14:07, the highest placed Japanese in the race. 

In 2003 he was second with 2:09:30 at the Tokyo International Marathon, and again selected for the World Championships team. In Paris, Aburaya finished fifth in 2:09:26, again the highest finish by a Japanese. 

Toshinari Suwa

Finishing close second to Tomoaki Kunichika but finished ahead of the Asian marathon record holder Toshinari Takaoka, Toshinari Suwa recorded 2:07:55 in the 2003 Fukuoka Marathon. 

Suwa made his marathon debut in April of 2001 at the Nagano Marathon. Although the time was slow, 2:16:18, he was second and his coach was convinced of Suwa’s marathon potential.  The coach was right.  On his second marathon, in the 2002 Lake Biwa Marathon, Suwa ran aggressively, leading from 30Km until 36Km and finished fourth in 2:09:10.   

Although Suwa only recorded 2:11:47 in the 2003 Lake Biwa event, his coach thought it was a good race considering his form at the time.  Suwa trained very hard for December’s Fukuoka Marathon.  For example, in the five days Suwa ran 40Km, 30Km and another 40Km; he repeated the set after 4 days of rest, which gave Suwa and his coach the confidence he needs.  He was reported to be ready to run 2:06. 

Pages related to this article
Disciplines
Loading...