Skip to main content

Tergat Withdraws From Fukuoka Due to `Special Military Training` Requirement

http://www.asahi.com/sports/update/1127/SEB200711270019.html?ref=rss

translated by Mika Tokairin and Brett Larner

The Fukuoka International Marathon announced today that former world record holder Paul Tergat (Kenya) has withdrawn from this Sunday`s race. His agent told race organizers that the Kenyan Army, of which Tergat is a member, called him up unexpectedly for special training and that he will not be able to come to Japan.

Tergat set the world record of 2:04:55 in Berlin `03. In September this year at Berlin, Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) broke the 4-year old record. Japanese fans were eagerly anticipating Tergat`s appearance in Fukuoka which was to be his first marathon in Japan.

Tergat said, "Unfortunately I cannot make it due to the Army`s program. I hope I will be invited again next year and I intend to win then."

Translator`s note: The Japanese source article specifies `rikugun` which translates as `ground forces` or `army` rather than `air force.`
Labels:

Comments

Brett Larner said…
Translation note: The Japanese article uses the term `rikugun,` literally `ground forces,` i.e. `Army.`
November 28, 2007 at 9:35 AM
Anonymous said…
Terget will be back when Sammy isn't racing, he is clearly ducking the competition after Sammy had that great prep race last year.
November 28, 2007 at 10:40 AM
Bob said…
Uh...Tergat is a member of the Kenyan AIR FORCE.

http://www.mod.go.ke/Kafsite/athletics.htm
November 29, 2007 at 4:47 AM
Anonymous said…
Brett, thank you for your site, I love it! My wish list includes information on training practices of Japanese runners, particulary marathoners. (Is there much differentiation between teams?) Also, I would love some comments on the Japanese culture of training in racing flats, and their thoughts on running shoes in general. - Eugene, OR
November 29, 2007 at 8:42 AM
Brett Larner said…
> Bob said...
> Uh...Tergat is a member of the > Kenyan AIR FORCE.

See above translation note.
November 29, 2007 at 11:52 PM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

World Championships Medalist Racewalking Coach Mizuho Sakai Recognized With Highest Coaching Honor

The 2023 Mizuno Sports Mentor Awards recognizing excellence in coaching were held Apr. 23 in Tokyo. Toyo University assistant coach and race walking coach Mizuho Sakai was given a gold award, the program's highest honor, and expressed her thanks and joy in a speech at the award ceremony. The coach of 2023 Budapest World Championships men's 35 km race walk bronze medalist Masatora Kawano , Sakai said, "This is an incredible honor and I'm truly grateful. As a child I wanted to be in the sporting world and I've spent my life in that world. My end goal was always to play a supporting role for other athletes, so I'm honored to be recognized in this way." Sakai's husband Toshiyuki Sakai , head coach of Toyo's three-time Hakone Ekiden champion team, attended the awards gala with her and was also introduced to the audience. After bowing he took a seat in front of her and watched with warmth as she received recognition for her outstanding work. The Mizun
Post a Comment
Read more

The Ivy League at the Izumo Ekiden in Review

Last week I was contacted by Will Geiken , who I'd met years ago when he was a part of the Ivy League Select Team at the Izumo Ekiden . He was looking for historical results from Izumo and lists of past team members, and I was able to put together a pretty much complete history, only missing the alternates from 1998 to 2010 and a little shaky on the reverse transliterations of some of the names from katakana back into the Western alphabet for the same years. Feel free to send corrections or additions to alternate lists. It's interesting to go back and see some names that went on to be familiar, to see the people who made an impact like Princeton's Paul Morrison , Cornell's Max King , Stanford's Brendan Gregg in one of the years the team opened up beyond the Ivy League, Cornell's Ben de Haan , Princeton's Matt McDonald , and Harvard's Hugo Milner last year, and some of the people who struggled with the format. 1998 Team: 15th of 21 overall, 2:14:10 (43
Post a Comment
Read more

Hirabayashi Runs PB at Shanghai Half, WR Holder Nakata Dominates Fuji Five Lakes - Weekend Road Roundup

Returning to the roads after his 2:06:18 win at February's Osaka Marathon, Kiyoto Hirabayashi (Koku Gakuin University) took 5th at Sunday's Shanghai Half Marathon in a PB 1:01:23, just under a minute behind winner Roncer Kipkorir Konga (Kenya) who clocked a CR 1:00:29. After inexplicably running the equivalent of a sub-59 half marathon to win the Hakone Ekiden's Third Stage, Aoi Ota (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) was back to running performances consistent with his other PBs with a 1:02:30 for 8th. His AGU teammate Kyosuke Hiramatsu was 10th in 1:04:00. Women's winner Magdalena Shauri (Tanzania) also set a new CR in 1:09:57. Aoyama Gakuin runners took the top four spots in the men's half marathon at the Aomori Sakura Marathon , with Hakone alternate Kosei Shiraishi getting the win in 1:04:32 and B-team members Shunto Hamakawa and Kei Kitamura 2nd and 3rd in 1:04:45 and 1:04:48. Club runners took the other division titles, Hina Shinozaki winning the women's half
Post a Comment
Read more