People can accomplish great things ― anything, really ― by working together. American buddies Michael Sayih and Max Fink, both of whom reside in Florida, demonstrated this with their completion of the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday, March 2.
On that day, Sayih and Fink finished their sixth world marathon major, with Sayih riding in a customized racing wheelchair and Fink running and pushing him along the 42.195-km race through the streets of Tokyo.
They were among the four duo racing teams at the Tokyo Marathon. Sayih, 32, and Fink, 33, have been on a quest for the past several years to complete all six of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Mission accomplished. The two friends reached the finish line in 4 hours, 19 minutes, 59 seconds.
"This is a dream come true for us," Fink said, according to a news release. "Our first race was Chicago in 2021, and to be one of the first duos to complete the six is a milestone moment for the differently-abled community. We're just so excited to break barriers for the differently-abled and show that anything is possible."
Since they completed the Chicago Marathon four years ago, Sayih and Fink participated in four other world marathon majors ― in New York and Boston, London and Berlin ― before preparing to compete in the Tokyo Marathon.
Along with the Florida duo, fellow Americans Ross Ormond and Andrew McAllister also received special six-star medals for completing the six global marathons. The Sydney Marathon will be added to the list of marathon majors in September 2025, and Sayih and Fink both said they want to compete in the Australian race in the future.
On Competing in the Tokyo Marathon
Speaking by telephone from South Florida, Fink told this reporter about his friendship with Sayih, who has cerebral palsy, and about their active lives. He recalled the unique experience of competing in Tokyo and elucidated in greater detail about the satisfaction of teaming up with Sayih in other competitions, including 5-km races and triathlons.
"For me, it was euphoric, it was a long time coming," Fink said during the interview, referring to the Tokyo Marathon. "As a journey, we started in October of 2021 in Chicago, which was our first major marathon. So, basically, a four-year journey and a lot of hard work went into it. And at the end of the day, it's never been about achievements or medals or world records."
So what did Fink hope the duo racing teams demonstrated?
"It's basically been about proving to the differently-abled community that things like this are possible," Fink stated in the exclusive interview. "And we wanted to prove that barriers exist only to be broken, that inclusion isn't a privilege but a right and that the differently-abled community belongs at the starting line, the finish line and every step in between."
Insights on Tokyo Marathon Participant Sayih
Asked to paint a picture in words of his competition partner, Fink described in vivid detail Sayih's enthusiasm for life and the positive energy he brings to practices and races.
"His energy is always incredible," Fink told me. "I think the coolest thing about him is, like, he's always going with the flow and he's always down for whatever. If I say, 'Hey, man, let's do this, let's do that,' it's always, 'Yeah, yeah.'
"And I think people have a misconception that because he lives his life in a chair 24/7 that these events are no different for him and that they are the same, but they are very grueling on the body to be in the chair and to be moving at that pace and to go in the bumps."
Fink then provided a good example to illustrate this point.
In 2021, when Sayih and his partner competed in the Ironman Cozumel (triathlon) in Mexico, the weather created less-than-ideal conditions.
"We had a torrential downpour," recalled Fink, whose friend was a groomsman at his wedding. "And you have to remember that his chair is attached to the back of my bike and so the tire is just basically spitting water right in his face for four hours. So we actually had to put a paintball mask on his face and I would look back to be checking if he was OK and he just kept giving me the thumbs-up each time.
"That's so emblematic of who he is and how he approaches not only the races and the training but life."
Staying Busy, Staying Positive
Indeed, with the full support of Jim Sayih, Michael's father, and his family, the 32-year-old has had an active life. He works as a greeter at home games for two professional sports teams in South Florida, the NHL's Florida Panthers and the NFL's Miami Dolphins. Sayih attended the Panthers' championship parade in 2024 and received a championship ring, too.
Jim Sayih founded Special Compass, a Florida-based nonprofit organization, to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to be involved in athletic events.
Returning the conversation to the Tokyo Marathon, Fink described the interplay between him and Sayih at various points during the race.
An occasional pointed question from Sayih indicated something very specific to Fink. "When Michael asked if I'm doing OK, I know that it means that we've slowed down," Fink revealed.
They checked up on each other at occasional points during the race, Fink mentioned, noting that Sayih gave him random high-fives.
Making their competitive pursuits more meaningful, Sayih and Fink also add their own unique spin on road courses.
"When we get close to the crowds in really exciting areas of the race, I'll run the chair towards the side so he can high-five people," said Fink, who has dedicated his sporting achievements to the memory of his late mother, who died of breast cancer in 2017.
What's next on the competitive horizon for Sayih and Fink?
It's up in the air right now, according to Fink, who said they "want to make the next challenge even bigger." Two possibilities: the Ironman World Championship (in Kona, Hawaii) and The Great World Race ― seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.
Sayih Reflects on Completing the Tokyo Marathon
Before Michael Sayih answered a few questions, his father, who also attended the Tokyo Marathon, observed how his son enjoys the atmosphere of big sporting events.
"Michael loves to interact with the spectators or the public," Jim Sayih said. "He really likes it, [and] he feels like a rock star," the proud father added with a laugh.
Having now participated in all six world marathon majors, Sayih was asked for his general thoughts on the Tokyo Marathon.
He said, "It was a great experience, it was different."
How was it different from the other marathons?
"The volunteers were very helpful," Sayih said, pointing out he received assistance from two guides with concierge-like support for the course.
Why was it important to complete the six major marathons? Sayih was asked.
His answer: "One of the reasons why it's so important for me is really personally for me to break barriers and to show others who are like me that these things are possible. Friendships can be developed, and as friendships are developed, you can do things together that are above average, and it will help motivate people and inspire people to do big things, not just average things."
There were logistical challenges along the way in completing the London Marathon and the Berlin Marathon, according to Sayih, due to accessibility for disabled people. "But we were able to make it work anyway," he said, "and still shine a light on duo teams working together and doing athletic events together."
Sayih Describes Partnership with Fink
During our wide-ranging discussion, I asked Sayih to give examples of his conversations with Fink throughout their 4-plus hours of competition at the Tokyo Marathon.
Upbeat and energetic, Sayih summed it up this way, noting they were getting closer to the finish line: "Let's go, let's get that sixth star!"
He then said, "When you start to see the signs that show you are getting closer to 40 kilometers, you start getting more and more excited."
I also inquired about their friendship, which began in 2019. "Very close" [friends] was Sayih's succinct description.
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JAAF Marks 100th Anniversary of Its Founding
The Japan Association of Athletics Federations was established on March 8, 1925. To mark the 100th anniversary of its founding, JAAF President Mitsugi Ogata released a statement on Saturday, March 8.
"I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to all those who have supported the sport of track and field," Ogata said in the statement.
He added: "Athletics is the 'mother of all sports,' in which athletes compete in the fundamental human movements of running, jumping, throwing and walking. It has the power to inspire people and activate their lifestyles."
Ogata also highlighted the growth of Japan's sporting culture over the past few decades.
"The recent successes of Japan's national athletes symbolize the noble efforts and evolution of the past 100 years," he said.
Looking ahead to the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September, he added, "I am convinced that the sight of the world's top athletes competing against each other will give dreams and hopes to the children who will lead the future."
Soccer
Ceara Powers Kashima Past Kashiwa
With a 3-1 triumph over Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday, March 8, the Kashima Antlers became the first J.League team to record four victories in the 2025 season.
Leo Ceara notched a hat trick for the Antlers in their away triumph.
Kashima improved to 4-0-1, reaching 12 points before any of the other 19 J1 teams. (All teams were scheduled to play their fifth match on either March 8 or 9.)
Through March 8, Ceara, a Brazilian, is the league leader in goals (five), while Cerezo Osaka's Sota Kitano is second with four.
Minamino Signs Contract Extension with AS Monaco
Attacking midfielder Takumi Minamino has finalized a contract extension with French Ligue 1 squad AS Monaco through June 2027, it was announced on Tuesday, March 4.
A former Liverpool player before joining Monaco in 2022, Minamino has appeared in 89 matches for the club in all competitions. Minamino has 16 goals and 15 assists in a Monaco uniform.
"I am very happy to have extended with AS Monaco," Minamino said during a press conference, "because I want to stay here as long as possible. The club has shown that it believes in me by offering me this new contract, it is the most important thing in my eyes."
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Golf
Furue Ties for 2nd at HSBC Women's World Championship
Ayaka Furue had her best round of the HSBC Women's World Championship on the final day of the tournament on Sunday, March 2 in Singapore. She carded a 4-under 68 and finished tied for second at 9-under 279.
New Zealand's Lydia Ko completed the tournament with a four-round score of 13-under 275, capturing her 23rd career LPGA Tour title.
Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand matched Furue's total to also finish four strokes off the pace.
The latest Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings were released on March 3 and Furue climbed from 11th to seventh. Also for Japan, Miyuu Yamashita is 14th and Rio Takeda is 17th.
Volleyball
SV.League's Osaka Bluteon Maintain Impressive Form
Osaka Bluteon, the top team in the Japanese men's pro SV.League, won its 16th consecutive match on Sunday, March 2 at Ariake Coliseum before a packed house of 9,521 fans.
The Bluteon defeated the Tokyo Great Bears 27-25, 23-25, 26-24, 15-25, 15-11.
As a result, Osaka lifted its record to 29-3 in the SV.League, which was formally known as the V.League prior to the start of the 2024-25 season. Tokyo slipped to 19-15.
Assessing his team's performance in its victory over Tokyo, Bluteon attacker Miguel Lopez commented on its ability to adapt as the match unfolded.
"We managed to win with a team effort after we made necessary adjustments as the match progressed," the Cuban standout was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. "I'm glad I was able to contribute to the win."
Through March 8, the Bluteon were 29-4, maintaining their lead atop the standings in the 10-team circuit. The Wolfdogs Nagoya are in second place (28-7).
A look ahead: The SV.League playoffs will begin the third week of April and wrap up in early May.
Boxing
'Monster' Inoue's Fight Schedule Revealed
Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue is slated to fight American Ramon Cardenas on May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, RingMagazine.com has reported.
For his second fight of 2025, Inoue (29-0, 26 knockouts) will take on the WBA's second-ranked super bantamweight. Inoue earned a fourth-round KO of Ye Joon Kim on January 24 at Tokyo's Ariake Arena.
The Ring magazine's website reported on Inoue's ongoing plans for the year on Thursday, March 6, citing co-promoters Bob Arum and Hideyuki Ohashi's agenda for the superstar boxer.
If Inoue beats Cardenas to retain his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO title belts, his high-profile schedule for 2025 would include a title match against Uzbek Murodjon Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10 KOs) on September 14. The Inoue-Akhmadaliev clash would be in Tokyo at a to-be-announced site, according to RingMagzine.com.
And what about previously reported plans for Inoue to fight in Saudi Arabia?
December 2025 is the target for "Monster" Inoue against a TBA opponent, according to multiple media outlets.
Quote of the Week
"Regardless of that result, I was able to hit the first pitch of my first at-bat. So, it just felt great."
―Boston Red Sox player Masataka Yoshida, on his first at-bat of spring training on March 2, MLB.com reported. In the first inning, Yoshida bashed a ground-rule double with the bases loaded against the New York Mets in Fort Myers, Florida.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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