Skip to main content

Kato, Newcomer Maina Win Reborn Sendai International Half Marathon

by Brett Larner

Cancelled following last year's disasters, the Sendai International Half Marathon returned May 13 in a new format putting more emphasis on mass participation and less on the elite race with a notable absence of any foreign competition based outside Japan.

The women's division suffered when former national record holder Mizuki Noguchi (Team Sysmex) scratched earlier this week, but in her place the young Asami Kato (Team Panasonic) came through with a PB of 1:11:21 for the win over Hiroko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera), dropping her late in the race after dueling much of the way.  Misato Horie (Team Noritz) was a distant 3rd in 1:13:21.

In the men's race, Kenyan newcomer Johana Maina (Team Fujitsu) easily won in 1:01:34, going out in front of elder teammate Daniel Gitau (Team Fujitsu) and gradually ratcheting up his pace.  The popular Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref.) tried to run with Gitau but soon faded back into the all-Japanese chase pack led by Olympic marathon team member Arata Fujiwara (Miki House).  As Gitau faded over the final 5 km Fujiwara surged, catching him at 19 km to take 2nd in 1:03:32.  Kawauchi likewised pushed hard, catching Gitau at the line but given 4th as both Gitau and Kawauchi clocked 1:03:49.  Takashi Horiguchi (Team Honda) was 5th in his first race since his breakthrough 2:09:16 PB at March's Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon.

2012 Sendai International Half Marathon
Sendai, 5/13/13
results via STITCHrunner

Men
1. Johana Maina (Kenya/Team Fujitsu) - 1:01:34
2. Arata Fujiwara (Miki House) - 1:03:32
3. Daniel Gitau (Kenya/Team Fujitsu) - 1:03:49
4. Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref.) - 1:03:49
5. Takashi Horiguchi (Team Honda) - 1:04:15
6. Satoshi Yoshii (Team Sumco) - 1:04:25
7. Keisuke Wakui (Team Yakult) - 1:04:26
8. Ryosuke Fukuyama (Team Honda) - 1:04:28

Women
1. Asami Kato (Team Panasonic) - 1:11:21 - PB
2. Hiroko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera) - 1:12:07
3. Misato Horie (Team Noritz) - 1:13:21
4. Sakiko Matsumi (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 1:13:59
5. Rika Shintaku (Team Shimamura) - 1:14:00
6. Mami Furuse (Team Kyocera) - 1:14:27
7. Megumi Seike (Team Sysmex) - 1:15:11
8. Miu Kato (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 1:15:12

(c) 2012 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Ichiyama 8th at Copenhagen Marathon

Currently the #10-ranked Japanese man in the marathon with the fastest-ever domestic time at the elite Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, Tsubasa Ichiyama (Sunbelx) made his international debut at Sunday's Copenhagen Marathon , literally an international debut as it was his first time outside the country. Ichiyama hoped to be in contention to break the 2:08:23 CR and go for the win, and with cool and breezy conditions ran easy in the lead group through 30 km. But something ate away at almost everyone as time went by, several people in the lead men's and women's groups saying humidity, and past 30 km Ichiyama fell off. Falling as low as 9th, he rallied after 40 km to finish 8th in 2:13:07. "It was different than in Japanese races," he said. "I'm used to bigger packs and more even pacing, but this was a kind of racing I hadn't done before. There's a lot to think about. I didn't feel like I was sweating a lot, but I got really thirsty and started sk
Post a Comment
Read more

Wanjiru Breaks Own MR, Fuwa and Ishida Return - Kanto Regionals Day 1 Highlights

Japan's best college meet kicked off Thursday at Tokyo's National Stadium at the 103rd Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships . Looking like she was doing a controlled tempo run, 2nd-yr Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) lapped the entire field to win the women's 10000 m in a meet record 32:02.87, almost 15 seconds under the record she last year in her debut. 3rd-yr Aoi Takahashi (Josai Univ.) was 2nd in 33:29.22 and 2nd-yr Nana Nagashima (Josai Kokusai Univ.) 3rd in a PB 33:30.28, but the other main news alongside Wanjiru's new record was the return of collegiate 10000 m record holder Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) in her first 10000 m in 19 months. Fuwa hung at the back of the chase pack for the first half, made a move to lead it in the second half, and ultimately faded to 9th in 33:40.20. Every comeback has to start somewhere. The D1 men's 10000 m had a tight group up front with the top 6 all finishing within 6 seconds and under 28:10. 3rd-yr Jam
1 comment
Read more

Two-Time Olympic Marathon Medalist Erick Wainaina Referred to Prosectors on Suspicion of Assault

  According to investigators, two-time Olympic marathon medalist Erick Wainaina has had his case referred to prosecutors after allegedly injuring a railway employee by striking him in the face at a station in Setagaya, Tokyo. Wainaina, 50, was the bronze medalist in the marathon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and won silver in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Wainaina is suspected of assaulting a woman in her late teens and a male Tokyo Denentoshi Line employee by hitting them in the face during an altercation at Komazawa University Station in March this year, resulting in minor injuries to the man's face. According to investigators, the incident began on the train between Wainaina and the woman, and after getting off at Komazawa University Station he hit her in the face when she asked him to go to the station office with her to report it. When the male railway employee responded to the situation Wainaina reportedly hit him too. In response to questioning Wainaina is said to have answered,
Post a Comment
Read more