Elfenesh Alemu (ETH) (© Getty Images)
Olympic champion Naoko Takahashi who was making her return from an injury sustained a year ago, suffered her first defeat since 1998 when she slowed and then failed to respond after Ethiopian Elfenesh Alemu passed her in the latter stages of the Tokyo International Women's Marathon today.
Alemu’s winning time was 2:24:47, with Takahashi a distant second in 2:27:21.
The result was a surprise especially because Takahashi’s coach Yoshio Koide had sounded so confident before the race, implying that his charge was in better shape than she had been at the Olympics.
Despite warm and windy weather (23.7C, 60 % humidity and 5.0m/s wind), Takahashi started very fast from the onset, and only Elfenesh Alemu and Mikie Takanaka tried to stay with her. However, Takanaka, a debutante, only lasted 4Km, thus leaving only Takahashi and Alemu in front. She eventually finished ninth.
Takahashi and Alemu passed 5Km together in 16:14; it was the fastest split ever on the course (the previous fastest, 16:18, was recorded by Masako Chiba in 1999). For the next 17Km they ran together recording the fastest splits on the Tokyo Marathon course for 10Km and 15Km, but from 15Km they started to slip behind the record pace, albeit ever so slightly.
The two leaders passed the Half Marathon together in 1:10:03, a far cry from 1:08 many people had expected, and it was then that the real racing started as at 22Km Takahashi surged and left Alemu behind. The gap opened immediately, and thus, it seemed at the time, Takahashi’s quest for Olympic selection and the fastest marathon time on the native soil had began in earnest.
By 25Km (1:22:50), Takahashi was completely alone leading Alemu by more than 20 seconds. She continued to push the pace passing 30Km in 1:39:38, 54 seconds ahead of Alemu.
It was from this point that Takahashi started to falter. She was visibly in trouble by 34Km. Takahashi who covered 33Km to 34Km in 3:26 slowed to 3:52 for the next kilometre. The temperature was rising (24.6C one hour into the race) and the wind was strong.
“I did not feel the effect of temperature, but I felt the wind,” said Takahashi after the race. Still, although Takahashi took 17:44 from 30Km to 35Km, she was still maintaining her one minute lead over Alemu. She covered 35Km to 37Km in 3:42 and 3:46.
However, then came the brutal uphill and Takahashi slowed even more, and Alemu who had appeared to be finished as a challenger was starting to come back on her. After Takahashi took 4:04 and 4:15 for the next 2Km, Alemu was able to catch and dramatically pass her (39Km). Takahashi took 20:17 for the 5Km between 35Km to 40Km!
“It was a tough race because of the wind,” said Alemu who won in 2:24:47, a respectable time considering that temperature during the race was approaching 25C.
Takahashi after the race confirmed, “my leg was in trouble by 28Km and felt numb at the end. Going up the hill in the head wind was especially tough. I felt I should try to run the way I am known for, but I just did not have it.”
2:27:21 for second was the second slowest time of Takahashi’s career with only her debut marathon time, 2:31:32, being slower. Her six race winning streak (1998 Nagoya, 1998 Asian Games, 2000 Nagoya, 2000 Olympics, 2001 Berlin and 2002 Berlin) thus came to an unexpected end but more importantly, her position on the Japanese Olympic marathon team, at best, is uncertain.
With Mizuki Noguchi clinched her Olympic marathon spot in Paris, Takahashi was expected to follow in Tokyo. However, two spots are still left on the Japanese Olympic Marathon team. The next stop, Osaka Ladies Marathon in January, where most of the major contenders, including Masako Chiba and Yoko Shibui, are expected.
Ken Nakamura for the IAAF
with assistance from Akihiro Onishi
1) Elfnesh Alemu (ETH) 2:24:47
2) Naoko Takahashi 2:27:21
3) Kiyoko Shimahara 2:31:10
4) Bruna Genoseve (ITA) 2:34:32
5) Fatuma Roba (ETH) 2:37:03
6) Hisae Yoshimatsu 2:38:31
7) Irina Timofeyeva (RUS) 2:39:01
8) Yuka Hashimoto 2:39:28
9) Mikie Takanaka 2:42:52
Leader's splits
5Km 16:14 Takahashi
10K 32:40 (16:26) Takahashi
15Km 49:14 (16:34) Takahashi
20Km 1:06:13 (16:58) Takahashi
Half 1:10:03 Takahashi
25Km 1:22:50 (16:37) Takahashi
30Km 1:39:38 (16:48) Takahashi
35Km 1:57:22 (17:44) Takahashi
40Km 2:16:52 (19:30) Alemu
Finish 2:24:47 (7:55) Alemu
