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Japan's marathon queen likes it hot
SYDNEY, Sept 21 (AFP) - Crack Japanese runner Naoko Takahashi likes it hot, and sees the weather influencing the outcome of Sunday's women's marathon where she sees herself becoming the first Japanese woman to win an athletic gold medal. In an ominous warning to her rivals, including the world's fastest marathon runner Tegula Loroupe, Takashi says she also likes it it cool. "My race will depend on weather conditions and I will be flexible by consulting myself while running," the holder of the all-time fifth fastest women's marathon time said. "I haven't decided how to go. There may be 42 ways to go over 42 kilometres." There is no doubt Takahashi has the credentials to back herself. At the Asian Games in Bangkok two years ago she flirted with the world's best time in temperatures around 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 F) with 90 percent humidity. She won in 2hr 21min 47sec, in a performance hailed as one of the most extraordinary in the history of women's marathon, particularly as she ran from the front. The 27-year-old Kenyan Loroupe, the only woman in the Sydney field faster than Takahashi with a best time of 2:20.43, does not faze the Japanese. "I know there are many strong foreign runners but I see it as a battle with myself," she said Friday. Takahashi leads a trio of Japanese women, including Tokyo marathon winner Eri Yamaguchi with a best 2:22.12, and world silver medallist Ari Ichihashi in an attempt to rewrite their country's athletic history. Japanese women won three Olympic golds in swimming, two in volleyball and two in judo, but have never won an athletics event. Takahashi missed the 1999 Seville world championships due to a left knee injury, and suffered a bone fracture in her left hand when she fell during a marathon in last October. "I won't disappoint you like last year. I want to share the excitement of running with people watching TV back home," she said This year Takahashi produced a 2:22.19 in the Nagoya marathon in March, Japan's Olympic trial, although she was not fully fit.
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