Running News Daily

Erekiel Chebii Returns and is the one to beat at Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon

Defending champ Ezekiel Chebii (Kenya) returns to lead the field for the Mar. 4 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon. Chebii is one of three men in the field with recent 2:06 times, his 2:06:07 in Amsterdam 2 years ago leading Tadesse Abraham (Switzerland) and Abera Kuma (Ethiopia) to form a clear trio of favorites. Making up the second pack are 4 current sub-2:10 Japanese men, 2017 Gold Coast winner Takuya Noguchi, Rio Olympian Satoru Sasaki, and Sasaki's teammates Takuya Fukatsu and Fumihiro Maruyama. (02/13/2018) Views: 1,654 ⚡AMP
Japan Running

The Right to Smoke Group is in Battle with the Smoke Free 2020 Olympic Games People

The health ministry in Japan has been seeking to introduce binding rules against indoor smoking in public spaces ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics — in line with an agreement with the International Olympic Committee to stage “tobacco-free” games. The ministry’s plan has been diluted from its original proposal in the face of stiff opposition from within the LDP, whose tobacco-friendly lawmakers backed by the restaurant and bar industries protested that the planned measure infringes on people’s “right to smoke.” ...The health ministry estimate, smoking was blamed for illnesses such as cancer, strokes and heart attacks affecting more than one million people in Japan in 2014, including 240,000 people exposed to second hand tobacco smoke. (02/10/2018) Views: 1,835 ⚡AMP
Japan Running

Kenyans Double at Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon today

Kenya’s Edward Waweru and Betsy Saina took top honors at the Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon, winning the IAAF Silver Label road race in PBs of 1:00:31 and 1:09:17 respectively on Sunday. Waweru, who lives in Japan and runs for NTN Track and Field Club, took 97 seconds off his previous best. The former track specialist had contested just one half marathon before today, clocking 1:02:08 at the 2014 Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon. Shitara was second in 1:01:13, falling nearly one minute short of his national record. “I am happy to be the first Japanese finisher, but I really wanted to win the race,” said Shitara, who will be targeting the Japanese record at the Tokyo Marathon in three weeks. (02/04/2018) Views: 1,641 ⚡AMP
Japan Running