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Shimahara and Yoshida Top Honolulu Marathon

by Brett Larner

Kiyoko Shimahara wins the 2008 Honolulu Marathon

Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC), who finished 3rd in October's Chicago Marathon behind defending Honolulu Marathon champion Alevtina Biktimirova (Russia), came back to score her first marathon victory since her debut in the 2003 Katsuta Marathon, running 2:32:36 to defeat Biktimirova in the 2008 Honolulu Marathon on Dec. 14.

Running in conditions of heavy rain, Shimahara, an athlete with a proven track record in hot races, took the lead just past 34 km and never relented. Her teammate Kaori Yoshida, winner of October's Casablanca Marathon, ran as pacemaker but hung on for 2nd place in 2:34:35. Japanese runners also took 7th through 10th in the women's division and 7th and 9th in the men's division.

Two-time Olympian and three-time World Championships national team member Megumi Oshima ran as an independent after having recently quit her position with Team Shimamura, finishing 8th in 2:57:44. Two-time defending Mt. Fuji Mountain Race champion Yuri Kambara was 14th in 3:10:22. Former Tokyo International Women's Marathon winner Mari Tanigawa jogged the race in 4:24:37 after having skipped the final edition of Tokyo last month.

Complete results for the 2008 Honolulu Marathon are available here.

2008 Honolulu Marathon - Top Finishers
Women
1. Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) - 2:32:36
2. Kaori Yoshida (Second Wind AC) - 2:34:35
3. Alice Timbilili (Kenya) - 2:37:31
4. Olesya Nurgalieva (Russia) - 2:39:13
5. Alevtina Biktimirova (Russia) - 2:45:06
6. Elena Nurgalieva (Russia) - 2:48:15
7. Sayaka Maeda (Japan) - 2:54:55
8. Megumi Oshima (Japan) - 2:57:44
9. Yumiko Daigo (Japan) - 3:01:03
10. Takako Oi (Japan) - 3:04:00

Men
1. Patrick Ivuti (Kenya) - 2:14:35
2. Stephen Njoroge (Kenya) - 2:17:41
3. Pius Muasa Mutuku (Kenya) - 2:17:51
4. Joseph Mutiso (Kenya) - 2:19:35
5. Jimmy Muindi (Kenya) - 2:21:43
6. Andrew Letherby (Australia) - 2:25:32
7. Koichi Fujino (Japan) - 2:27:56
8. Samuel Mwangi (Kenya) - 2:28:09
9. Shuichi Ito (Japan) - 2:29:55
10. Nailu Nigussie (Ethiopia) - 2:30:32

(c) 2008 Brett Larner
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Anonymous said…
oh my goodness megumi oshima sucks! She used to be so good. She ran 2:24 and finish second to reiko tosa in the 2004 nagoya marathon. This is probably the end of her career.
December 16, 2008 at 10:32 AM
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