Japan's former Olympic champion Naoko Takahashi has opted out of next month's Tokyo International Women's Marathon in a calculated gamble that could cost her a place at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Takahashi's representatives have announced that the 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medallist will not run in the November 18 Tokyo race, leaving her just two more chances to qualify for Japan's team for China.

The 35-year-old's failure to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics was headline news in Japan, where she is a huge celebrity.

Takahashi's hopes of making the Japan team will now rest on January's Osaka marathon and Nagoya in March.

Mizuki Noguchi, who won gold at the Athens Olympics in Takahashi's absence, has committed to run in Tokyo.

Reiko Tosa claimed one of the three Olympic spots up for grabs by taking bronze at the world athletics championships in Osaka last month.

Takahashi and Noguchi chose to skip the world championships to step up their preparations for Beijing.

Reuters