Women's marathoner Mizuki Noguchi (Team Sysmex) began going to Tokyo's National Sport Science Center on June 19 to undergo muscle-strengthening work and rehabilitation for the left leg problem which has plagued her since last summer when she abandoned her Olympic gold medal defense shortly before the Beijing Olympics. Unable to train seriously, Noguchi has indefinitely postponed plans of a comeback race.Noguchi's trainer Hisakazu Hirose told reporters, "It's not that she can't run at all, but when we put any serious strain on the weakened muscles the pain comes back. The balance of muscles on her left and right side has deteriorated, so we're just going to wait until it seems 100% healed." Noguchi's group has given up on hopes of an autumn comeback and is resigned to a long wait. She most recently began jogging again in May but gave up when the pain returned.
On June 19 Rikuren released the elite field for this year's 52nd Sapporo International Half Marathon, to be held July 5. Headlining the men's field of 8 invited athletes is world record holder and Beijing Olympics men's marathon gold medalist Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya. The domestic elite men's field includes Berlin World Championships marathoners Atsushi Sato (Team Chugoku Denryoku) and Arata Fujiwara (Team JR Higashi Nihon) as well as 2008 World Half Marathon 5th place finisher Yusei Nakao (Team Toyota Boshoku).The women's field of 11 is led by three of Japan's World Championships marathon squad, defending champion Yuri Kano (Second Wind AC), Yoko Shibui (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo), and Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido). Also in the field are Beijing Olympics marathoner Yurika Nakamura (Team Tenmaya), 2008 Honolulu Marathon winner Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) and Shimahara's teammate Akemi Ozaki (Second Wind AC).
The Sapporo International Half Marathon will serve as the final selection race for the national team for October's World Half Marathon Championships in the U.K.
The race will be broadcast from 1:30 p.m. to 2:55 p.m. on July 5 in Japan. Overseas viewers should be able to watch with the Keyhole TV software. Wanjiru is also rumored to be headlining another major Japanese race in the upcoming winter season.
Thanks Brett at JapanRunningNews!
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