Japan's Mizuki Noguchi, the winner of the women's marathon at the Athens Olympics, said Thursday she hopes to claim victory in the next World Championships as well.
"I am very happy to be able to come back to Japan with the gold medal. I feel fulfilled," Noguchi told a news conference at Kansai Airport shortly after arriving back from Greece.
"My dream (of winning the Olympic gold) came true, but this is just the beginning. I also want to win the gold medal in the next World Championships and keep going a step up at a time," she said of the competition scheduled in August of next year in Helsinki. Noguchi finished runnerup to Catherine Ndereba of Kenya at the world meet held in Paris in August last year to secure a ticket to the Athens Games.