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Fukushi Out of National Corporate Women's Ekiden With Stress Fracture

http://mainichi.jp/sports/news/20141214k0000m050169000c.html

translated by Brett Larner

2013 Moscow World Championships women's marathon bronze medalist Kayoko Fukushi will not be a starting member at for the Wacoal team at tomorrow's National Corporate Women's Ekiden Championships.  According to head coach Tadayuki Nagayama, Fukushi is not at full fitness after suffering a stress fracture in one of the toes on her right foot in early October. 

Nagayama also announced that Fukushi will not run in either of the remaining two selection races for the 2015 Beijing World Championships teams, January's Osaka International Women's Marathon and March's Nagoya Women's Marathon.  With an eye toward the Japanese Federation's sub-2:22:30 qualifying time for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic team Nagayama commented, "In the short term the goal is not to focus on competing but to improve her time and running ability." 

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