Posted: November 18, 2007

Athletics: Noguchi Wins Tokyo International Ladies Marathon

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com Reigning Olympic Marathon champion Mizuki Noguchi won today's 29th edition of the Tokyo International Ladies Marathon and, almost with certainty, has secured a position on the Japanese team for the Beijing Olympics next August. Noguchi, 29, dominated the race to win in a new course record of 2:21:37. Her chief rival, Yoko Shibui, stayed within striking distance through 30 km, but faded badly in the final stages of the race to finish seventh in 2:34:19. Kenyan Salina Kosgei, who ran Tokyo because her USA visa did not come through in time to compete at the ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 4, gave the Olympic champion her biggest challenge, staying with Noguchi through 35 km (1:57:28). But Noguchi ran 16:56 from 35-K to 40-K to Kosgei's 18:02. Kosgei finished second in 2:23:31, just slightly shy of her personal best time. Italy's Bruna Genovese, who won Tokyo in 2001, finished third in 2:27:35. Reiko Tosa, who captured Japan's only 2007 IAAF World Championships medal when she earned bronze in the marathon in Osaka last August, has already captured one spot on next year's Olympic marathon team. The Japanese federation, the JAAF, will choose the other two team members based on the best Japanese performances at today's Tokyo race, plus the Osaka and Nagoya Marathons next January and March, respectively. Noguchi's performance is unlikely to be surpassed by another Japanese athlete in either Osaka or Nagoya, so her selection to the team is nearly a certainty. That would set up a tantalizing match-up between the Japanese star and recent ING New York City Marathon champion and world record holder, Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain. Mizuki Noguchi wins Tokyo International Ladies Marathon (Photo: Tokyo International Ladies Marathon) Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest