Top Japanese Elite Runners Announced for 39th Gold Coast Airport Marathon

A Gold Coast Airport Marathon press release. JRN will be on-hand at GCAM as part of its official broadcast commentary crew.

Two previous winners Yuki Kawauchi and Risa Takenaka will lead a strong Japanese charge at the 39th Gold Coast Airport Marathon on Sunday 2 July.

A flat and fast course will provide the stage for this IAAF Road Race Gold Label event with one of the strongest elite fields ever assembled to fight out the 42.195km race. One of the most popular runners in world athletics Kawauchi, 30, will return to the scene of his epic runner up finish last year behind Kenneth Mungara of Kenya. The two will do battle once again with Kawauchi hoping he can win this coveted race once again as he did in 2013.

Takenaka had a breakout year in 2015 with a win on the Gold Coast and setting her personal best of 2:28:09 in Nagoya. The 27-year-old will be attempting to continue the stranglehold that Japanese runners have had on the women’s race with a total of 14 winners including the past five.

In the men’s race, Japan will have a very strong contingent of runners with Kawauchi joined by sub-2:13 marathon runners Chiharu Takada, Takuya Noguchi, Ryo Hashimoto, Shoya Osaki and Takuya Suzuki. Takada placed fourth in last year’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon in 2:10:43 so will have the benefit of experience, while Noguchi has recorded a personal best of 2:11:04 already this year in Tokyo so will come with strong form.

In the women’s race, Takenaka will be joined by Misaki Kato, Azusa Nojiri, Sakie Ishibashi, Hirono Shintate and Azusa Nojiri, with Kato a strong chance of a podium finish with a personal best of 2:31:04 set last year in Osaka.

As part of a sister marathon arrangement, two placegetters at last year’s Kobe Marathon in Japan were invited to run in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon with Shintate taking up the opportunity in the women’s race and Yuki Yagi in the men’s race.

Events Management Queensland CEO Cameron Hart said he was delighted to announce another strong and deep Japanese elite field in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. “The Gold Coast Airport Marathon has such a strong reputation in Japan and continues to attract quality elite runners as well as thousands of holiday runners,” Mr Hart said. “It is wonderful that Kawauchi is returning for his sixth consecutive Gold Coast Airport Marathon before going on to contest the marathon at the World Championships in London in August. Our 2015 winner Takenaka and last year’s fourth placegetter Takada are also returning and we look forward to welcoming many newcomers to the Gold Coast who will all be striving for personal best times and some for the podium.”

Elite Japanese Men
Yuki Kawauchi PB: 2:08:14 – Seoul, 2013
Chiharu Takada PB: 2:10:03 - Fukuoka, 2014
Takuya Noguchi PB: 2:11:04 - Tokyo, 2017
Ryo Hashimoto PB: 2:11:20 - Hofu, 2016
Shoya Osaki PB: 2:12:07 - Otsu, 2017
Takuya Suzuki PB: 2:12:08 - Oita, 2017
Takafumi Kikuchi PB: 2:15:06 - Sapporo, 2016
Yuki Yagi PB: 2:24:30 – Kobe, 2016
Yuta Takahashi PB: debut marathon (1:02:13 half marathon – 2015)

Elite Japanese Women
Azusa Nojiri PB: 2:24:57 – Osaka, 2012
Risa Takenaka PB: 2:28:09 – Nagoya, 2015
Misaki Kato PB: 2:31:04 – Osaka, 2016
Sakie Ishibashi PB: 2:41:27 – Tsuchiura, 2015
Hirono Shintate PB: 2:42:55 – Kobe, 2016

photos © 2017 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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

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,

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

japan running news

Search This Blog