Marathon race walk: Masatora Kawano wins with a provisional world record, in Takahata (Yamagata)

C’est une discipline où l’on n’a pas le droit de courir : un pied doit toujours toucher le sol, et la jambe avant doit être tendue au moment de l’appui (explication générale de JAPANITIES).

Être in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.

Le 25 octobre, NHK a indiqué que Masatora Kawano a remporté à Takahata (préfecture de Yamagata) la marche athlétique sur marathon, avec un record du monde provisoire de 2 h 55 min 14 s.

The passé composé is the most common past tense, used for “did” and “has done” — actions completed in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary avoir (a / ont…) in the present + a past participle. Past participles of -er verbs end in -é (annoncer → annoncé); learn the irregular ones (faire → fait, prendre → pris, voir → vu). In the negative, ne … pas wraps the auxiliary (n’a pas annoncé). In the news it reports facts that have already happened, such as “announced” or “voted”.

Le 25 octobre, la marche athlétique sur marathon s’est tenue à Takahata, dans la préfecture de Yamagata.

The passé composé of a pronominal verb (se + verb) always uses être as auxiliary (il s’est diffusé / elles se sont réunies). Se changes with the subject: me, te, se, nous, vous. The past participle usually agrees with the subject in gender and number.

Le temps étant provisoire, l’homologation officielle viendra plus tard.

The futur simple means “will do” or “is planned to”. Add -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont to the infinitive (participer → il participera). Watch the irregular stems: être → ser-, avoir → aur-, aller → ir-, faire → fer-, pouvoir → pourr-, voir → verr-. In the news it is used for fixed plans and outlooks.

C’est une discipline où l’on n’a pas le droit de courir : un pied doit toujours toucher le sol, et la jambe avant doit être tendue au moment de l’appui (explication générale de JAPANITIES).

Normally ne and pas wrap the verb. Before a vowel, ne becomes n’. Check which part of the sentence the negation covers. Ne … plus means “no longer”.

Masatora Kawano l’a emporté ; selon NHK, son temps provisoire de 2 h 55 min 14 s constitue un record du monde.

Selon means “according to”. Put a person or organisation after it as the source. It separates facts the writer checked directly from what another body or report said. Citing a source does not turn a forecast into an accomplished fact.

Le 25 octobre, NHK a indiqué que Masatora Kawano a remporté à Takahata (préfecture de Yamagata) la marche athlétique sur marathon, avec un record du monde provisoire de 2 h 55 min 14 s.

Le 15 octobre means “on 15 October”. Distinguish the le before a date from the le that marks a weekly habit like a weekday. Du is de + le and au is à + le, so decide the meaning from the verb and period expressions around them. Their role depends on the group: a range of dates, the date of a bulletin or another complement.

C’est une discipline où l’on n’a pas le droit de courir : un pied doit toujours toucher le sol, et la jambe avant doit être tendue au moment de l’appui (explication générale de JAPANITIES).

Devoir + infinitive means “must”, but depending on context it can also mean “is expected to”. Devrait is conditional. In the news, judge from the context whether it is an obligation or a forecast.

In the article consulté, l’ancien record, le classement des autres athlètes et les déclarations de Masatora Kawano ne figurent pas.

Dans means “in, inside” for places, but also for a scope such as a system or period. With future time, dans deux jours means “in two days”. In the article’s example, check what it is “inside” and which scope it marks. Identify the value of dans in the passage.

いつも、どちらかの足が地面についていること、前に出した足のひざが、地面につく瞬間にまっすぐなことが、決まりです（JAPANITIES編集部の一般的な説明）。

As in “予算について”, it shows the topic to be talked about or explained. In the form “〜についての報道”, の is added so that the group qualifies the following noun.

長い距離を、速く歩くため、体の使い方と、体力が求められます。

ため is used for both reason and purpose. “成立ではないため” is a reason and “運転手を守るため” a purpose. Decide from the whole sentence whether what precedes is a cause or a goal.

NHKは、25日、山形県高畠町で行われたマラソン競歩で、川野将虎選手が、暫定の世界新記録の2時間55分14秒で優勝したと伝えました。

In “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.

NHKは、記録は暫定で、2時間55分14秒の世界新記録だと伝えています。

と takes the content that is reported or explained. In “改定する方針だと報じました”, “改定する方針だ” is what the report said. Separating the content from who said it and how makes long sentences easier to read.

いつも、どちらかの足が地面についていること、前に出した足のひざが、地面につく瞬間にまっすぐなことが、決まりです（JAPANITIES編集部の一般的な説明）。

“〜すること” treats an action or content like a noun. The particle after it (が・を・は…) shows its role in the sentence. “ことができる” is a fixed combination meaning “can”.

NHKは、記録は暫定で、2時間55分14秒の世界新記録だと伝えています。

The て-form links actions in a series, in order or as a reason. In “確認して、出発する” the relation is judged from the content. In “〜ている” it can show an action in progress or a continuing state.