Athletics-Japanese flops a mystery, says team coach

OSAKA, Japan, Aug 29 (Reuters) World championship hosts Japan's track and field flops are a source of mystery to both the athletes and their coaches.

After sprinter Shingo Suetsugu became the latest Japanese qualifying casualty in yesterday's 200 metres, the team coach was left scratching his head.

Japan risk becoming the first world championship host to finish without a medal since Canada failed to secure one in Edmonton in 2001.

''I guess you would have to say it is a mystery,'' Susumu Takano told reporters. ''There's something wrong. You have to think there's something wrong with their conditioning.'' Takano's extraordinary admission that Japan's athletes had failed to prepare correctly for Osaka's sweltering heat came on the back of a string of poor performances.

Suetsugu took bronze in the men's 200 metres at the 2003 world championships in Paris but could find no reason for his failure to reach the 200m semi-finals.

''I feel bad I couldn't live to people's expectations,'' shrugged Suetsugu, who left the track on a stretcher feeling dizzy. ''I've got a headache.'' Japan have failed across the board to live up to the hopes of the home fans.

Dai Tamesue, bronze medallist in the men's 400m hurdles at the last two world championships, also surprisingly bombed during the heats.

Even Olympic champion Koji Murofushi slumped to sixth in the men's hammer throw.

The last time Japan failed to win a medal at the world championships was in Gothenburg in 1995.

The hosts have the chance to salvage pride in the women's marathon on the final day when Reiko Tosa will be hoping to win the country's first world championship gold since 1997.

Hiromi Suzuki's marathon gold at the Athens world championships 10 years ago was won in similarly hot conditions but Takano called for the athletes to show more hunger.

''It's a fact that the conditions are extremely tough,'' he said.

''But that's no excuse. From tomorrow they have to take a long hard look at themselves.

''They must get rid of any negative thoughts. They need to start producing.'' REUTERS BJR SSC1335