Ogata Wants World Champs Spot in Tokyo Marathon

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20090310-OHT1T00211.htm

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Beijing Olympics marathoner Tsuyoshi Ogata (35, Team Chugoku Denryoku) held a press conference in Hiroshima on Mar. 10 to talk about his plans for the Mar. 22 Tokyo Marathon, where he will try to earn a place on his fourth-straight World Championships team. "I want to make this [World Championships] team clearly and without any ambiguity," he said, revealing that he still has the ambition to think about winning.

The Tokyo Marathon will be Ogata's first race since finishing 13th in the Beijing Olympics marathon. Discussing his condition, Ogata showed some uncertainty as he admitted, "Things haven't been going smoothly, but I feel like it's coming together now. I'll be ready just in time, but you never know what's going to happen." Nevertheless, he was determined as he said, "I'm running this because I want to win. I want it to be a race I can live with, and even at my worst I'll be competing for the win."

Translator's note: Tsuyoshi Ogata's performances in world-level competitions have been as follows:

2008 Beijing Olympics - 13th, 2:13:26
2007 Osaka World Championships - 5th, 2:17:42
2005 Helsinki World Championships - 3rd, 2:11:16
2003 Paris World Championships - 12th, 2:10:39

He set his PB of 2:08:37 at the 2003 Fukuoka International Marathon.

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