 |
| September 30, 2004 |
|
Shibui Won
Berlin Marathon with National Record
4th best all-time record of 2:19:41 in sight
of Beijin |
| Yoko Shibui of the Women's Marathon and Track Team (Head Coach
Hideo Suzuki) of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. (President and
CEO Hiroyuki Uemura) finished first with a Japanese record of 2:19:41
at the 31st Berlin Marathon on Sunday,
September 26. |
| From the start, Shibui ran the entire race at a steady pace she
had set. She gradually came to run behind her set split around the
25km-point, and was four seconds behind at the 30km-point. Hearing
Head Coach Suzuki cheering her up at her on the roadside, she regained
the pace, which she could keep to the goal. As a result, she overcame
her issue that she tends to slow down on the way back, and finished
with a time of 2:19:41, bettering the previous national record and
her best record by five seconds and one minute and 41 seconds, respectively.
Consequently, she has come to rank fourth fastest in the women's marathon
in history, and this is her second national record that follows one
marked at the 10,000 meter race of the Cardinal Invitation 2002. |
| <Conditions> |
| Start |
: |
12:10 on Sunday, September 26, 2004 |
| Route |
: |
loop course starting at and finishing in the Brandenburg Gate
in Berlin |
| Weather |
: |
rainy |
| Temperature |
: |
9 degrees Celsius and SW wind at 3 meter per second at the
start |
| Humidity |
: |
94% at the start |
|
| <Results> |
| 1st |
: |
Yoko Shibui |
MSI of Japan |
2:19:41 (Japanese record) |
| 2nd |
: |
Hiromi Ominami |
UFJ Bank of Japan |
2:23:26 |
| 3rd |
: |
Sonja Oberem |
Germany |
2:26:53 |
|
| Press interview at the Narita Airport on Tuesday, September 28 |
| <Ms Yoko Shibui> |
| "I could enjoy the race, feeling really relaxed. I really enjoyed
running, for I am inclined to according to the mood of the day. I
concentrated on my running so much that I didn't know I broke the
previous record until it was referred to during the interview made
immediately after finishing. It was this concentration that led me
to setting a Japanese record." |
| |
| <Head Coach Hideo Suzuki> |
"I talk to Shibui last April, 'Break the record next time,
why not?' She looked determined then, so I add, 'There's no one else
who can make it.'
"Although she was mentally well prepared this time, her capability
has not yet come forth to 100%. So, she needs more training to be
strong enough for Beijing. I [continue to coach her, and] hope she
will get a gold medal there." |
| Profile of Yoko Shibui (Japan) |
| • |
Facts about Yoko Shibui |
| |
| Date of Birth |
: |
14 March 1979 |
| Place of Birth |
: |
Tochigi prefecture, Japan |
| Height |
: |
165cm |
| Best Time |
: |
2.19.41 (Full Marathon) |
| Head Coach |
: |
Hideo Suzuki |
| Occupation |
: |
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. |
|
| |
|
| • |
Competition |
| |
| 2004 |
Berlin Marathon, Gold Medal (Time: 2.19.41. National record) |
| 2004 |
Osaka International Woman's Marathon, 9th
Place (Time: 2.33.02.) |
| 2003 |
World Championships in Athletics 10000m, 14th Place (Time:
31.42.01.) |
| 2002 |
Chicago Marathon , 3rd Place (Time: 2.21.22.) |
| 2002 |
Cardinal Invitational 10000m, Gold Medal (30.48.89. National
record) |
| 2001 |
World Championships in Athletics Marathon, 4th Place (Time:
2.26.33.) |
| 2001 |
Osaka International Women's Marathon, Gold Medal (Time: 2.23.11.) |
|
| |
|
| |
<Reference> |
| |
*World Rankings (As of 26 September) |
| |
| Ranking |
Time |
Athlete |
Nation |
| 1 |
2.15.25 |
Paula Radcliffe |
GBR |
| 2 |
2.18.47 |
Catherine Ndereba |
KEN |
| 3 |
2.19.39 |
SUN Yingjie |
CHN |
| 4 |
2.19.41 |
Yoko Shibui |
JPN |
| 5 |
2.19.46 |
Naoko Takahashi |
JPN |
| 6 |
2.20.43 |
Tegla Loroupe |
KEN |
| 6 |
2.20.43 |
Margaret Okayo |
KEN |
| 8 |
2.21.06 |
Ingrid Kristiansen |
NOR |
| 9 |
2.21.16 |
Deena Drossinc |
USA |
| 10 |
2.21.18 |
Mizuki Noguchi |
JPN |
|
| |
|
| |
*National Rankings (As of 26 September) |
| |
| Ranking |
Time |
Athlete |
Occupation |
| 1 |
2.19.41 |
Yoko Shibui |
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance |
| 2 |
2.19.46 |
Naoko Takahashi |
Skynent Asia Airways |
| 3 |
2.21.18 |
Mizuki Noguchi |
Globaly |
| 4 |
2.21.45 |
Masako Chiba |
Sakura Athlete Club |
| 5 |
2.21.51 |
Naoko Sakamoto |
Tenmaya |
|
|
