Naoko Takahashi winning the 2005 Tokyo Women's Marathon (© Koichi Nakayama/Agence SHOT)
The 2006 Tokyo International Women’s Marathon, which doubles as the qualifying race for the 2007 World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan, is scheduled for this Sunday 19 November on the out and back course that starts and finishes in the national stadium in Tokyo.
The first Japanese in the race will be selected automatically for the marathon team representing Japan in the 2007 World Championships, provided her finishing time is under 2:26, which puts extra spice into a race which will be a showdown between Naoko Takahashi, the defending champion, and Reiko Tosa.
They have met at the Marathon once before. In the 2000 Nagoya Women’s Marathon, Takahashi finished first, more than two minutes ahead of second place Tosa. But that was six years ago, and Tosa was still a novice marathon runner. In fact the 2000 Nagoya Women’s Marathon was effectively her debut marathon. Her only previous marathon was 2:54:47 in 1998, which she ran for fun.
2000 Olympic champion, written-off?
Takahashi, of course, is the 2000 Olympic Champion and is the first woman in history to crack the 2:20 marathon barrier, a feat she accomplished in the 2001 Berlin Marathon when she recorded 2:19:46. For Takahashi, this is her third Tokyo Women’s Marathon, having finished second in 2003 and first in 2005. Takahashi has not run a marathon since she won in Tokyo last November. Her most recent race is a half marathon in Philadelphia where she finished eighth with 1:12:00. The time may not be fast, but last year two months before winning the Tokyo Women’s Marathon, Takahashi finished fourth in Philadelphia half marathon with 1:11:28. Takahashi has been training at high altitude in Boulder, Colorado until early this month and returned to Japan on 9 November. Many experts in Japan have written off Takahashi, claiming that she cannot beat Tosa. The race probably will be determined over the 30m climb that starts around 36Km.
Tosa also has quite impressive credentials. She was second in the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton, and fifth in the 2004 Olympic Games. She has a marathon personal best of 2:22:46, recorded in the 2002 London Marathon. More recently Tosa was third in the 2006 Boston Marathon with 2:24:11. For Tosa, this is her second Tokyo Women’s Marathon, having finished second to Joyce Chepchumba in the 2000 edition of the race. Tosa has been training at high altitude in Kunming China during August and September and is reported to be in great shape.
Overseas challengers headed by Balciunaite and Jevtic
The two strongest challengers to Takahashi and Tosa, from abroad, are Olivera Jevtic (SCG) and Zivile Balciunaite (LIT), who were second and fourth respectively in this year’s European Championships in Gothenburg.
Balciunaite, who finished fifth in 2004 and second last year in the Tokyo Women’s Marathon, is back in Tokyo in an attempt to improve her finish. Last November she set a national record of 2:25:15. She is reported to be aiming for another Lithuanian record. Besides the European Championships, Balciunaite was tenth in the Boston marathon with 2:32:16. She was 14th in the Olympic Games in Athens.
As well as her Gothenburg silver, Jevtic, was seventh in the 2006 Boston Marathon, and her major championships record is quite consistent. Jevtic was eighth in the 2003 World Championships and sixth in the Olympics. She has run in Japan before, having finished 10th in the 2005 Osaka Ladies Marathon with 2:31:43. Her personal best, 2:25:23, was recorded when she won the 2003 Rotterdam Marathon.
Rhines, from track to marathon
Jen Rhines (USA) recorded her personal bests at 5000m, 10,000m and the marathon this year. She was fourth in the 2006 Rome marathon with a personal best of 2:29:32. Then in the summer track season, Rhines recorded 14:55.18 for 5000m in Brussels and 31:24.16 for 10,000m in Helsinki. Rhines was third in the US Olympic Trials with 2:29:57 and 34th in the Athens Olympic Games. She also excels at 10,000m, having finished 16th in the 2005 World Championships in Athletics with 31:26.66.
Out of Africa
Two runners are invited from Africa. Asha Gigi (ETH), who has a best of 2:26:05 from the 2004 Paris Marathon, was seventh in the 2006 Paris Marathon in 2:32:35 and fourth in the 2006 Berlin Marathon with 2:32:32. Mary Ptikany (KEN), who has a marathon best of 2:29:45 from the 2005 Frankfurt Marathon, was third in the 2006 Vienna Marathon with 2:31:29. Ptikany also excels in the shorter distance, having finished third in the Berlin Half Marathon with 1:09:43.
Other Japanese hopes
Turning our attention back to Japanese, besides Takahashi and Tosa, there are other runners who deserve special attention.
Mikie Takanaka made her marathon debut in the 2003 Tokyo Marathon, but finished only ninth with 2:42:52. This year, she was sixth in the Great North Run with 1:11:41, and 15th in the Sapporo Half Marathon with 1:12:55. Since Takanaka has a half marathon best of 1:08:32 from 2002, she should be capable of running a much faster marathon.
Finally Ayumi Hayashi, who improved her marathon personal best from 2:33:37 in the 2005 Nagoya Women’s Marathon to 2:29:59 in the 2006 edition of the race, may be ready for further progress in her personal best. Hayashi was 11th in the 2006 Miyazaki Women’s Road Race (Half Marathon) in 1:11:33.
Ken Nakamura for the IAAF
List of Invited Runners:
Overseas
Zivile Balciunaite (LIT) 2:25:15 2005 Tokyo
Olivera Jevtic (SCG) 2:25:23 2003 Rotterdam
Asha Gigi (ETH) 2:26:05 2004 Paris
Jennifer Rhines (USA) 2:29:32 2006 Roma
Mary Ptikany (KEN) 2:29:45 2005 Frankfurt
Japanese:
Naoko Takahashi 2:19:46 2001 Berlin
Reiko Tosa 2:22:46 2002 London
Ayumi Hayashi 2:29:59 2006 Nagoya
Aki Negoro 2:33:40 2003 Nagoya
Akemi Ozaki 2:38:04 2006 Nagoya
Mikie Takanaka 2:42:52 2003 Tokyo
