Sprinter Asahara to aim for Beijing
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Veteran sprinter Nobuharu Asahara said Tuesday he will put off retirement and aim to make Japan’s team to next year’s Beijing Olympics.
“If I quit while I’m still able to compete, I would regret it later,” the 35-year-old Asahara at a press conference in Osaka.
Asahara, the former Japan record-holder in the 100 meters and a three-time Olympian, showed he could still be competitive this summer at the world athletics championships in Osaka, where he made it to the semifinals of the 100. He clocked a season-best 10.14 seconds in the first round.
Asahara was also a member of the 4x100 relay team that rewrote the Asian record in both the qualifying round and final, in which Japan placed fifth.