Chelimo, Batochir, Adachi, Koskei and Shintaku Headline Apr. 20 Nagano Marathon

by Brett Larner

The organizers of the Apr. 20 Nagano Marathon released the names of this year's elite field on Apr. 1. 2010 Nagano winner Nicholas Chelimo (Kenya), 2013 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon champion Serod Batochir (Mongolia/Team NTN) and 2012 Nagano runner-up Silas Sang (Kenya) lead the international field, while 2008 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon winner Tomoya Adachi (Team Asahi Kasei) headlines the Japanese men's field with a best of 2:10:22.

The semi-retired Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) and Mika Okunaga (Yufuin Hammock AC) have the fastest bests in the women's field followed by 2:29 Kenyan Hellen Koskei, but with a 2:31:15 best for 8th at this year's Tokyo Marathon Rika Shintaku (Team Shimamura) may be the favorite for the win. Look also for a challenge from Shoko Shimizu (Team Aichi Denki), 4th at last month's Wanjinshi New Taipei City Marathon.

16th Nagano Marathon Elite Field
Nagano, 4/20/14
click here for complete elite field listing

Men
Nicholas Chelimo (Kenya) - 2:07:38 (Eindhoven 2010)
Serod Batochir (Mongolia/Team NTN) - 2:09:00 (Hofu 2013)
Silas Sang (Kenya) - 2:09:10 (Nagano 2012)
Tomoya Adachi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 2:10:22 (Lake Biwa 2013)
Taiga Ito (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:11:15 (Tokyo 2013)
Sergey Lebid (Ukraine) - 2:11:24 (Lisbon 2013)
Ryoichi Matsuo (Team Asahi Kasei) - 2:12:11 (Nobeoka 2014)
Hiroki Kadota (Team Kanebo) - 2:12:25 (Beppu-Oita 2012)
Martin Waweru (Kenya) - debut - 1:02:02 (Marugame Half 2008)

Women
Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC) - 2:25:10 (Hokkaido 2009)
Mika Okunaga (Yufuin Hammock AC) - 2:27:16 (Osaka International Women's 2009)
Hellen Koskei (Kenya) - 2:29:33 (Seoul 2007)
Rika Shintaku (Team Shimamura) - 2:31:15 (Tokyo 2014)
Nebiat Habtemariam (Eritrea) - 2:32:04 (Hamburg 2008)
Shoko Shimizu (Team Aichi Denki) - 2:32:43 (Tokyo 2013)
Seika Iwamura (Team Higo Ginko) - 2:33:15 (Osaka International Women's 2010)
Lauren Shelley (Australia) - 2:33:42 (Tokyo International Women's 2005)
Alina Prokopeva (Russia) - 2:38:34 (Singapore 2012)

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