Kenyan Gitau, Australian Chapple Take First Marugame Half Marathon Wins

http://www.47news.jp/CN/201002/CN2010020701000181.html
http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2010020700109

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Hakone Ekiden Second Stage winner Daniel Gitau (Kenya/Nihon Univ.) took his first win at the 2010 Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon on Feb. 7, running a PB of 1:01:08. Defending champion and course record holder Mekubo Mogusu (Kenya/Team Aidem) was 2nd in 1:01:43. Yuichiro Ogawa (Team Kanebo) was the top Japanese man, 4th overall in 1:01:53.

In the women's race, Australian Nicole Chapple ran a sizeable PB of 1:08:37 to beat defending champion Mara Yamauchi (U.K.). Identical twins Yoko and Hiroko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera) were 2-3 in 1:09:51 and 1:10:01. Yamauchi finished 6th.

Translator's note: A big day for Australia! The Marugame Half will be broadcast from 2:38 to 3:33 a.m. on Wed., Feb. 11 on Fuji TV. Overseas viewers should be able to watch online for free using Keyhole TV.

2010 Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon - Top Finishers
Men
1. Daniel Gitau (Kenya/Nihon Univ.) - 1:01:08 - PB
2. Mekubo Mogusu (Kenya/Team Aidem) - 1:01:43
3. Joseph Mwaniki (Kenya/Team Konica Minolta) - 1:01:49
4. Yuichiro Ogawa (Team Kanebo) - 1:01:53 - PB
5. Yusuke Takabayashi (Komazawa Univ.) - 1:01:54 - PB

Women
1. Nicole Chapple (Australia) - 1:08:37 - PB
2. Yoko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera) - 1:09:51 - PB
3. Hiroko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera) - 1:10:01
4. Megumi Seike (Team Sysmex) - 1:10:17
5. Hiromi Ominami (Team Toyota Shatai) - 1:10:37
-----
6. Mara Yamauchi (U.K.) - 1:10:46

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