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Maeda Scores First Victory at Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon

http://www.47news.jp/CN/200902/CN2009021501000274.html
http://www.nishinippon.co.jp/nsp/item/77474

translated and edited by Brett Larner

At the 47th Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon starting and finishing in front of Nobeoka City Hall in Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture on Feb. 15, 29 year-old Kazuyuki Maeda (Team Konica Minolta) ran a nearly 30-minute of 2:13:55 to take his first-ever marathon win. Maeda ran alongside debut marathoner Shingo Tsumemaru (Team Asahi Kasei) behind pacemaker Tomoyuki Sato (Team Asahi Kasei) until Sato's departure at 30 km. Maeda then gradually pulled away from Tsumemaru and widened his lead to what became a solo run.

The 2nd and 3rd place finishers ran a conservative early pace, coming from behind in the later stages to clock strong results. 2 minutes and 2 seconds behind Maeda in 2nd place was Keisuke Wakui (Team Yakult) in his marathon debut. Takanori Ide (Team Kyudenko) was 3rd in a PB of 2:16:01. Tsumemaru faded to 9th in 2:20:00.

Conditions at the start were an unseasonably warm 19.7 degrees with 28% humidity and east-northeast winds of 1.5 m/sec. 202 runners in all completed the marathon.

Complete top 10 results are available here.

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