3rd place in Lake Biwa marathon helps Osaki's Olympic cause

3rd place in Lake Biwa marathon helps Osaki's Olympic cause

OTSU, Japan - Japan's Satoshi Osaki is delighted after his third-place finish at the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, on March 2 as his performance improves his chances for a ticket to the Beijing Olympics this summer. Osaki finished with a personal best of 2 hours, 8 minutes, 36 seconds, shaving four seconds off Arata Fujiwara's second-place finishing time of 2:08:40 at last month's Tokyo Marathon. Qatari Mubarak Hassan Shami won the Shiga race in 2:08:23 and Eritrean Yared Asmeron was second in 2:08:34.

Qatar's Shami wins Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon

Qatar's Shami wins Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon

OTSU, Japan - Qatar's Mubarak Hassan Shami touches the finish line at Ojiyama stadium in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture on March 2, winning the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 23 seconds, 11 seconds ahead of Eritrea's Yared Asmeron, who finished second.

3rd place in Lake Biwa marathon helps Osaki's Olympic cause

3rd place in Lake Biwa marathon helps Osaki's Olympic cause

OTSU, Japan - Japan's Satoshi Osaki is delighted after his third-place finish at the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, on March 2 as his performance improves his chances for a ticket to the Beijing Olympics this summer. Osaki finished with a personal best of 2 hours, 8 minutes, 36 seconds, shaving four seconds off Arata Fujiwara's second-place finishing time of 2:08:40 at last month's Tokyo Marathon. Qatari Mubarak Hassan Shami won the Shiga race in 2:08:23 and Eritrean Yared Asmeron was second in 2:08:34. (Kyodo)

Qatar's Shami wins Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon

Qatar's Shami wins Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon

OTSU, Japan - Qatar's Mubarak Hassan Shami touches the finish line at Ojiyama stadium in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture on March 2, winning the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 23 seconds, 11 seconds ahead of Eritrea's Yared Asmeron, who finished second. (Kyodo)