Yuri Kano

Lidia Simon winning 2011 Osaka People's marathon (Photo courtesy of PhotoRun, Inc. All rights reserved) Rene Kalmer en route to her 2:29:59 5th place at the 2011 Yokohama Women’s Marathon (Photo courtesy of PhotoRun, Inc. All rights reserved): Yoshimi Ozaki with her silver medal at the 2009 Berlin World Champs (Photo courtesy of PhotoRun, Inc. All rights reserved)

Short preview article (click here) in the Asahi Shimbun on the March 11th Nagoya Women’s Marathon…last train to London OG for Japanese women. On the Japanese side, we have 2009 WC silver medalist Yoshimi Ozaki (Daiichi Life Insurance/adidas) and reigning (i.e. 2010 champ, as last year’s Nagoya was cancelled in the aftermath of the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami) Nagoya champion Yuri Kano (Shiseido/adidas). Lidia Simon (ASICS), whose last marathon was a victory in the inaugural Osaka Marathon last autumn, will be looking to lock down qualification for her 5th (!!!) Olympic Marathon. So far as we have found out, Lidia could become the first woman in Olympic history to qualify for and compete in five Olympic Marathons. Rene Kalmer (adidas), who has been on fire this winter in South Africa since qualifying for the Olympic Games with her 2:29:59 for 5th in November’s hot and humid Yokohama women’s marathon), will be a pacemaker for Nagoya, which is expected to go out at 71:00 for the first half.

In Training
to be World Class

Sendai Half-Marathon (Japan Corporate Championships)

BMW Berlin Marathon

Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half-Marathon

Nagoya Women’s Marathon will be high noon for Olympic hopefuls

Athletes

In Trainingto be World Class