Comedian's global jog hits New York

NEW YORK--Comedian Kanpei Hazama, who is on a two-year "Earth Marathon" to sail and run around the world, jogged into the Big Apple on Wednesday evening local time.

"I'm overjoyed," said Hazama, 59, who is also a Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid ambassador. "There were some tough times, but they're all gone now."

After sailing from Chiba to Los Angeles, Hazama began running the 4,800-kilometer breadth of the United States in March.

He set out from his home base in Osaka in December by running to Chiba.

"It was a surprise that (Americans I met) were so kind," said the tanned Hazama.

His journey resumes Tuesday, when he sails to Europe. He plans to drum up support for Tokyo's Olympic bid in Copenhagen, where the International Olympic Committee meets Oct. 2 to pick the 2016 Summer Olympics host city.(IHT/Asahi: July 10,2009)