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Katsumata Wins Final Miyazaki Women's Half Marathon

http://www.nishinippon.co.jp/nsp/item/144738
http://www.asahi.com/sports/spo/SEB201001070003.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

The 30th and final edition of the Miyazaki Women's Road Race took place Jan. 6 in Miyazaki city. Running the event's half marathon for the first time, Misaki Katsumata (Team Daiichi Seimei) won in a time of 1:10:27. 27 seconds behind in 2nd place was Yoko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera), with Mika Okunaga (Team Kyudenko) another 30 second back in 3rd. 2009 Berlin World Championships marathoner Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido) was 4th in 1:11:33. Women's 1500 m national champion Mika Yoshikawa (Team Panasonic) won the 5 km in 16:15.

The Miyazaki Road Race began in 1981 and has seen world records set on its fast course. Past winners of the race have included many famous runners such as Athens Olympics marathon gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi (Team Sysmex), Sydney Olympics silver medalist Lidia Simon (Romania), Elana Meyer (RSA), Akemi Masuda, Masako Chiba, Yuko Kawakami, and more. However, in recent years due to the recession the race's organizers have had difficulty in inviting top talent and keeping up with prize money offered at other races. Last summer they announced that 2010 would be the event's final running.

2010 Miyazaki Women's Road Race - Top Finishers
Half Marathon
1. Misaki Katsumata (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 1:10:27
2. Yoko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera) - 1:10:54
3. Mika Okunaga (Team Kyudenko) - 1:11:24
4. Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido) - 1:11:33
5. Aki Odagiri (Meijo Univ.) - 1:11:43
6. Mayumi Fujita (Team Juhachi Ginko) - 1:12:03
7. Yuko Machida (Team Nihon ChemiCon) - 1:12:08
8. Saori Nejo (Team Hokuren) - 1:12:18
9. Kayoko Obata (Team Acom) - 1:12:20
10. Sayo Nomura (Meijo Univ.) - 1:12:25

5 km
1. Mika Yoshikawa (Team Panasonic) - 16:15
2. Hitomi Shimofuji (Meijo Univ.) - 16:16
3. Yuka Hakoyama (Team Wacoal) - 16:17
4. Hitomi Nakamura (Team Panasonic) - 16:17
5. Seika Nishikawa (Meijo Univ.) - 16:17
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