【Report】Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon 2022 Press Conference (Elite Athlete)

Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon 2022 Press Conference was held at 1 pm on Friday, October 14, 2 days before the race at the Japan National Stadium which will serve as the start and finishing point of the race.

The organizers took the stage in advance of the athletes with a greeting by Mr. Shizuo Ito, President/CEO. Mr. Ito shared the following comments. “The Tokyo Marathon Foundation is holding a half marathon for the first time. We strive to carry on the legacy through this race by starting and finishing the race from the Japan National Stadium which was a symbolic presence at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Not only is a half marathon half the length of a full marathon, but it also gives more citizens and a wider range of people the opportunity to participate. We want elite runners, general runners, those with disabilities, people of all genders and ages to enjoy the legacy of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is the goal of the race.”

Elite athletes participating in the press conference included 4 athletes - Alexander Mutiso (ND Software), Yusuke Nishiyama (Toyota), and women athletes Betsy Saina (USA) and Haruka Yamaguchi (AC・KITA). They all shared their enthusiasm along with Race Director, Tadaaki Hayano.

Mutiso, who has a personal record of 57:59 commented “my condition is neither good nor bad. This is my first half marathon in Tokyo, so I’m not very familiar with the course, but I will strive for the fastest time possible.”
While he did not announce a target time, Mutiso’s personal record of 57:59 is the fourth fastest in the world. His pace is likely to impact this year’s race. Although it is not considered official, a time of 59:43 is the fastest time in Japan according to the official website for World Athletics. There is a high possibility that Mutiso will break this record.

From the Japanese athletes, Nishiyama, who placed 13th in the men’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon this past July with a time of 2:08:35, the fastest record for Japanese men at a World Athletics event, explained the positioning of the race.

“I began training following a short break after I returned to Japan. It will be my first race since the World Athletics event, but I felt a half marathon is ideal to determine what kind of shape I’m in.”
He shared that while he took a break, his training is going well. Nishiyama’s personal best is 1:00:55 from two and a half years ago. If he can race even 1 minute faster than his record, it will be proof that his true ability has improved.
There were several male athletes from overseas who were aiming to run in the 59:00 range. While it remains to be seen whether Mutiso will be part of this group or leading it, it is likely that there will be a group of international athletes. If Nishiyama and other Japanese runners such as Japanese record holder Takashi Ichida (Asahi KASEI), who has a time of 1:00:19, and Daisuke Uekado (Otsuka Pharmaceutical), who has a marathon record within the 2:06:00 range can position themselves in the top group, there will be a competition worth observing.

In the women’s field, Saina, who has the fastest record of 1:07:49 will be competing for the first time since giving birth. She commented as follows.
“I have trained well, but this is my first comeback race, so it will be a test run to check on my condition. My training hasn’t really changed since before I gave birth since I was doing well with my previous training.”
Saina is a speed runner who placed fifth at the 10,000m event at the Rio Olympic Games. Her current record in the 1:07:00 range seems to fall a little short. It would not be unexpected for her to post a personal record even though it will be her first race after giving birth. Depending on her record here, there is also the potential for her to greatly improve her personal full marathon record of 2:22:43.

In the Japanese women’s field, Yamaguchi has the fastest record with a time of 1:09:50. She shared her goal commenting, “My condition is not good nor bad but standard, and I will strive for my personal best.”
When Race Director Hayano asked, “will you be running casually (the same as always) rather than in preparation for Marathon Grand Championship?”, she responded “Yes, that’s right.” Her stance seems to be to test her current ability, rather than specifically peaking.
Yamaguchi ran the same course as a guide runner for a blind athlete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. “The blind athlete had a spasm and had to stop or walk every so often, so I remember this course well. I look forward to running this course on my own.” She shared her commitment for the race while also sharing her memories from the previous year.

Who will leave their name in the commemorative first race, which will continue the legacy of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games? The Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon 2022 will kick off at 8 am on Sunday, October 16, 2022 with the wheelchair race.