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Ome 30 km Road Race to Offer 2 Million Yen Bonus for New Course Record By a Japanese Citizen

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/1539747.html

translated by Brett Larner

The organizing committee of the Ome 30 km Road Race announced on Sept. 17 that it will offer 2 million yen [~$16,500 USD] bonuses to the top Japanese finishers for new men's and women's course records at the event's 50th running on Feb. 21, 2016.  The current official men's course record is 1:30:21 set by Masaki Ito in 2013, while the women's course record is 1:39:09 set by Mizuki Noguchi in 2004.  Men will receive an additional 1 million yen if they break the fastest time ever run on the Ome course, the 1:29:32 mark set by Toshihiko Seko in 1981 while running as a guest runner.  Course record setters must be Japanese citizens and currently registered with the JAAF to be eligible for the bonuses.
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Brett Larner said…
It's very unusual to see a Japanese race publicly putting up money like this.
September 18, 2015 at 2:17 AM
Randy said…
This sounds like good fun, not necessarily for the money but for the event itself. Thanks for sharing. (randyb9@gmail.com)
September 18, 2015 at 10:26 AM
TokyoRacer said…
I was in that 1981 race. It's an out and back course. After the halfway point, as the top runners were coming back, passing the rest of us still going out, Seko was so far ahead - like minutes ahead - that I thought they had let him start way before everybody else for some reason.
September 18, 2015 at 3:47 PM
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