News Flash from Tempe, AZ:
Noted Japanese triathlete Shoji Nakano, a bike-shop owner from Sugiinami-ku in Tokyo, showed his outstanding speed over the challenging course of the Arizona Ironman held on April 15th to win his age-groiup and earn a berth in Hawaii.
Nakano, a perennial podium finisher at the Asia-Pacific Triathlon Championships in recent years, won his age group in Arizona by a commanding one hour over his nearest competitor.
Winning the age group earned Nakano his slot at the Ironman World Championships, held every year in Hawaii. In 2006, he won his age group at Ironman New Zealand, a storm-plagued race where the swim leg had to be abandoned. The race was held on Nakano's 65th birthday, March 3, 2006.
Friends and teammates in Tokyo were thrilled to hear of their coach and mentor's success in Tempe. "He's eccentric but iincredibly determined," said one of his neighbors, the owner of a dry-cleaning shop a block down from Nakano's Friend Shokai shop. "He's just an amazing athlete," said Peter Fuchs, a member of Nakano's Leopard Triathlon Team since 2002.
Sumie Kawakami, 43, of nearby Musashino City, a western suburb of Tokyo, finished her 3rd official Ironman event with a time of 14:03. "That was the toughest race I've ever done," Kawakami said in an email the evening of the race. "The wind in the desert and dry weather just killed me on the bike," she said, referring to the demanding conditions in the hot Arizona desert near Phoenix.
Members of the Leopard Triathlon team at the Nojiriko Triathlon, July 2, 2006. Nakano is third from the left, Kawakami to his right. She won her age group at Nojiriko. Nakano had to retire with a puncture, his first DNF in 25 years of racing.
Final Race Results:
Bib: 1020 Total time: 13:18:49 Name; NAKANO, SHOJI SUGINAMI WAR TO JPN Age group rank: 1/8 M65-69 2010 Swim rank: 1 1119 Swim time: 1:17:09 T1: 7:58 Bike rank: 1 1050 Bike time: 6:33:05 T2: 5:45 Run rank: 1 1108 Run time: 5:14:54
Bib: 1272 Total time: 14:03:18 Name: KAWAKAMI, SUMIE MUSASHINO TOKYO JPN Age group rank: 35/73 W40-44 2358 Swim rank; 66 1895 Swim time: 1:39:20 T1: 8:37 Bike rank: 39 1495 Bike time: 7:10:34 T2: 7:39 Run rank: 24 890 Run time: 4:57:11
Said recently re-elected Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara in an imaginary press release: "I am proud of these outstanding Tokyo athletes who show great guts and determination at major international sporting events like the Arizona Ironman. We welcome them home with pride and gratitude and hope to host the first ever Tokyo Ironman in 2009."
