Yusei Nakao (JPN)

DOB: 28 Feb 1984; Born in Aichi–Prefecture; Height: 170cm; Weight: 53Kg; Team: Toyota Boshoku (since 2006); Coach: Nobuyuki Sato Personal Bests: 5000m: 13:31.81 (2009); 10000m: 27:48.71 (2009); Half : 1:02:00 (2008); Marathon 2:14:43 (2009)

International Championships Highlights: Half Marathon: 5th in 2008 World Half Marathon Championships 10000m: 4th in 2009 Asian Championships

Progressions (since 2005): Year 5000m 10000m Half Marathon Marathon 2009 13:28.16 27:48.71 1:03:38 2:14:43 2008 13:45.35 28:10.19 1:02:00 2:38:16 2007 14:08.00 28:24.56 2:23:29 2006 13:42.98 28:45.06 2005 13:57.12 28:38.72

Marathon career Time Venue Place Date Personal Best 2:14:43 12th 22 Mar 2009 2:38:16 Lake Biwa – Otsu 124th 2 Mar 2008 2:23:29 Hokkaido – 12th 9 Sept 2007

2009 Results Date Race Distance Place Time 5 Dec Aichi Ekiden Section 9 2nd 15:25 14 Nov Asian Championships 10000m 4th 28:40.89 8 Nov Chubu district men’s Ekiden ‐ Gero Section 4 ‐ 13.9Km 2nd 41:34 17 Oct Shizuoka Distance ‐ Fukuroi 10000m 6r2 28:37.08 26 July Internationale Atletiek@Vlaanderen ‐ Brasschaat 5000m 9th 13:38.93 21 July Gentse Feesten Meeting ‐ Ghent 3000m 4rA 7:54.84 18 July Night of Athletics – Heusden 5000m 7rB 13:28.16 12 July Lappeenranta Elite Games ‐ Lappeenranta 5000m 3rd 13:44.92 28 June JPN National Championships – Hiroshima 10000m 2nd 28:30.39 10 June Hokuren Distance Challenge – Fukagawa 10000m 1st race A 27:48.71 30 May Golden Games in Nobeoka 5000m 7th race E 13:31.81 16 May Chubu district Corporate T&F Champ – Gifu 10000m 4th 28:13.77 29 Apr Oda – Hiroshima 5000m 5th 13:34.67 25 Apr Chukyo University meet ‐ Toyota 1500m 1st 3:53.90 22 Mar Marathon 12th 2:14:43 22 Feb Inuyama half marathon Half marathon 1st 1:03:38 1 Feb Meigi Ekiden Stage 1 – 12.4Km 1st 35:52 1 Jan New Year Ekiden Stage 4 – 22.3Km 2nd 63:16

2008 Results Date Race Distance Place Time 24 Nov Chiba Ekiden Stage 1 – 5Km 2nd 13:41 9 Nov Chubu district Corporate Ekiden Stage 1 – 10.4Km 1st 30:44 12 Oct World Half Marathon Championships – Rio de Janeiro Half marathon 5th 1:02:05 28 Sept Nittai University distance – Yokohama 5000m 4r33 13:45.35 26 June JPN National Championships – Kawasaki 10000m 10th 28:10.19 11 June Hokuren Distance ‐ Fukagawa 5000m 1rB 14:03.15 1 June Niigata 10000m 9th 28:26.95 11 May Sendai Half Marathon Half marathon 2nd 1:02:00 3 May Shizuoka International ‐ Fukuroi 10000m 3rd 28:59.10 2 Mar ‐ Otsu Marathon 124th 2:38:16 3 Feb Meigi Ekiden Section 1 2nd 35:48 14 Jan Asahi Ekiden Section 5 9th 46:18

A son of Takayuki Nakao, the first Japanese to crack 2:20 barrier at the marathon, Yusei Nakao was fifth at the 2008 World Half Marathon Championships in Rio de Janeiro, tying the highest finish by Japanese men in the history of the World Half Marathon Championships. It was his first international championships for Nakao. In Rio, Nakao steadily moved up throughout the race. He was 20th in 5Km (14:18), 13th at 10Km (29:05), 8th by 15Km (43:50), and moved up to fifth by 20Km (58:52). “I have trained to make my move with 2Km to go, but because my calf cramped up, I could not respond to other runners kick,” said Nakao after the race.

Yusei’s father, Takayuki Nakao attracted a lot of attention when he was in the second year of high school, for he finished fifth at Beppu-Oita Marathon, his marathon debut. Later, in 1961, Takayuki recorded 2:18:54 for the marathon, the first sub-2:20 marathon by Japanese. He also set Japanese record four times at the marathon and once at 10000m. Consequently, one of Yusei’s goals is to set a national record.

Yusei Nakao started running because he was recruited by track team’s coach when he was in junior high school. However, he was complete unknown in junior high school. Nakao first attracted attention when he was a junior in high school as Nakao recorded the second fastest time in the inter-Prefectural men’s Ekiden. A year later, in his senior year in high school, Nakao was 11th at 5000m in the national inter-high school championships. After high school graduation, Nakao enter the Teikyo University. However, little over a year later before the graduation, Nakao decided to leave the University to join JR (Japan Rail) East track team. But he lasted only three years at JR East track team. Nakao called his hero, Nobuyuki Sato, who was the coach of Toyota Boshoku track team and asked if he can join Toyota Boshoku track team. From September of 2006, Sato, third at the marathon in the 1999 World Championships in Sevilla, became his coach. Sato was Nakao’s hero ever since Sato visited his alma mater, Chukyo High School. In 2000, when Nakao was a junior in Chukyo high school, the school held a party for Sato, who made the marathon team for Sydney Olympics. Nakao left his team twice, which is not very common in Japan, however, Nakao explains, “I just want to be a fast runner.” With the guidance from Sato, soon Nakao moved up to a higher level.

Nakao made a marathon debut at the 2007 Hokkaido Marathon, however, lack of proper training showed in the race as he was dismal 12th in 2:23:29. His second marathon was 2008 Lake Biwa Marathon, race according to Nakao is one of his memorable races. When he joined Toyota Boshoku, up until four months before the 2008 Lake Biwa Marathon, Nakao had problem with over-distance workout. However, before the Lake Biwa Marathon, Nakao had good training base including eight 40Km run leading up to the race. Unfortunately, because he developed blisters as early as 5Km, Nakao finished dismal 124th in 2:38:16. However, after Lake Biwa Marathon, Nakao was superb. In May, Nakao was second, the first Japanese, in the 2008 Sendai half marathon with a personal best of 1:02:00 to qualify for the World Half Marathon team. Then he recorded a personal best at 10000m at the national championships in June, and then finished fifth in Rio in October.

After finishing fifth at the 2008 World Half Marathon Championships, Nakao set his sight at 2009 Tokyo Marathon. He wanted to make the marathon team for the World Championships in Berlin, and also break his coach’s (Nobuyuki Sato) marathon best of 2:08:48. However, perhaps because Nakao’s preparation for the race was only about 70 to 80%, he could not respond to Kensuke Takahashi’s surge at 30Km, and finished 12th in 2:14:43.

After the Tokyo Marathon, Sato wanted Nakao to improve his speed, to which he responded well. Nakao improved his 10000m best to 27:48.71 in June, which was more than 20 seconds improvement of his personal best recorded when he was 10th in 2008 National Championships. Eighteen days after his first sub 28 minutes 10000m, Nakao finished second in the national championships. A month after the national championships, he also improved 5000m personal best. At the Night of Athletics in July, Nakao improved his 5000m best by nearly 15 seconds to 13:28.16.

His coach, Nobuyuki Sato says, “Yusei ought to be able to run a 2:07 marathon. He has more speed than I ever had. So I want him to aim for a 2:05 marathon, and win a better medal than I did.” Nakao writes, in the team’s website, that his motto is never give up no matter how bad things get.