Kenyan gold medalist speaks about marathon training in Japan

Samuel Wansiru, the Kenyan marathon runner that won a gold medal on the last day of the Beijing Olympics, took some time to speak to the Japanese press in Japanese after completing the race on Sunday:

Wansiru moved to Japan from his native Kenya and studied at Sendai Ikuei High School in Miyagi Prefecture, where he was part of the school ekiden team that twice won the national championship. He also ran for Toyota Motor Corp.’s Kyushu team, although he withdrew from that club in July.

Speaking in Japanese after the race, Wansiru said, “The one thing I learned while running in Japan was how to persevere even in the most difficult conditions. I think I was perfect in persevering today.”

Wansiru used the word “endure” [gaman] several times when discussing the race, and credited the training and guidance he had received in Japan as a major factor in his victory. Not surprisingly, the Japanese press loved it, and he got almost as much attention as some of the Japanese medalists.