Last year Naoki Koyama set a course record 2:07:40, then went on to win the Paris Olympic marathon trials, then 2:06:33 in Osaka this past February. Given that kind of progression, the field this year is packed with 2nd-tier Japanese men hoping to have the same success, ten of them who've run 2:07...
“We believe the positive effects of this change will extend beyond the two sports involved, strengthening the LA28 Games as a whole and ultimately benefiting all sports in the LA28 sport programme."
Ato Boldon, the 1996 Olympic 200m silver medallist, lauded the producers of the series, and forecasted that it will help expand the oldest sport in the world.
Final team nomination in most cases depends on a top 3 finish there, but as of this writing events where Japan could or will field three athletes having cleared the Olympic standard are the men's 110 mH, men's 400 mH, men's 20 kmRW and women's marathon.
As the team leader, Sato hopes for a high-level battle, saying, "I'm really happy the level in Japan keeps going up. I hope everyone on the team gets there with a sub-45 time."
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