Athens Olympic women's marathon champion Mizuki Noguchi has reached a sponsorship deal with medical technology manufacturer Sysmex, the company said Thursday.
"I'm grateful that they have accepted the conditions of the team," said Noguchi. "We'd like to be active around the world," said Noguchi.
Noguchi had been in search of a sponsorship deal since ending a relationship with Globally Inc., whose athletics club was abolished after the company pulled out of its mainstay futures trading business following its violation of the Commodity Exchange Act.
Including Noguchi's coach, Nobuyuki Fujita, staff and seven other distance runners, a total of 14 have joined the Sysmex athletics club along with Noguchi.
"We'd like to carry out sports within the company and they understand that we wish not to change our practice environment. As a team, we'll aim to become No. 1 in the ekiden, which we failed to accomplish with our last sponsor," said Fujita.