Weekend Overseas Japanese Results

Japanese men lined up at three major overseas races Sunday. At the Netherlands' Eindhoven Marathon, 2:07:39 marathoner Masato Imai (Toyota Kyushu), coached by 1992 Barcelona Olympics marathon silver medalist Koichi Morishita, was ranked 3rd in the field on PB but ran only 2:17:00 for 10th after fading from the lead pack early in the second half.

At Boston's B.A.A. Half the race was hurt by the late withdrawal of aggressive sub-61 half marathoner Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) with illness. In his absence Suguru Osako (NOP) and Shogo Nakamura (Fujitsu), the latter a former teammate of Murayama's at Komazawa University, sat in the lead pack throughout the race without exerting pressure despite a very slow pace. Two-time defending champ Daniel Salel (Kenya) made it three in a row, easily outkicking Osako to win in 1:04:31, Osako next across the line in 1:04:42 and Nakamura 4th in 1:04:50. Two other Japanese men were non-factors, Ken Yokote (Fujitsu) 7th in 1:05:57 and Yudai Okamoto (JFE Steel) 33rd in 1:18:21.

At the Chicago Marathon, 2014 Asian Games silver medalist Kohei Matsumura (MHPS) was the top Japanese finisher at 6th in 2:11:48. Fading from the lead pack after 25 km, Matsumura was caught by sub-61 half marathoner Chihiro Miyawaki (Toyota), who pulled Matsumura back into the lead pack just before last year's winner Abel Kirui (Kenya) made the move that opened the race up after a slow 1:06:10 first half. Matsumura was one of eight men up front to negative split the race, with Miyawaki fading to 11th in 2:13:23. Ryoichi Matsuo (Asahi Kasei) was 18th in 2:15:50.

Elsewhere, Teppei Suegami won the Portland Marathon in 2:23:43, with Mai Fujisawa 3rd in the women's race in 2:58:41.

Eindhoven Marathon
Eindhoven, Netherlands, 10/8/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Festus Talam (Kenya) - 2:06:13
2. Felix Kiptoo Kirwa (Kenya) - 2:06:13
3. Marius Kipserem (Kenya) - 2:06:43
4. Dejene Debela Gonfe (Ethiopia) - 2:07:10
5. Cosmas Jairus Kipchoge (Kenya) - 2:08:45
-----
10. Masato Imai (Japan/Toyota Kyushu) - 2:17:00

B.A.A. Half Marathon
Boston, U.S.A., 10/8/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Daniel Salel (Kenya) - 1:04:31
2. Suguru Osako (Japan/NOP) - 1:04:42
3. Tesfaalem Gebrearegawi (Ethiopia) - 1:04:46
4. Shogo Nakamura (Japan/Fujitsu) - 1:04:50
5. Abdi Abdirahman (U.S.A.) - 1:05:11
-----
7. Ken Yokote (Japan/Fujitsu) - 1:05:57
33. Yudai Okamoto (Japan/JFE Steel) - 1:18:21

Chicago Marathon
Chicago, U.S.A., 10/8/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Galen Rupp (U.S.A.) - 2:09:20 - PB
2. Abel Kirui (Kenya) - 2:09:48
3. Bernard Kipyego (Kenya) - 2:10:23
4. Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) - 2:11:01
5. Stephen Sambu (Kenya) - 2:11:07 - PB
-----
6. Kohei Matsumura (Japan/MHPS) - 2:11:48
11. Chihiro Miyawaki (Japan/Toyota) - 2:13:23
18. Ryoichi Matsuo (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 2:15:50

Portland Marathon
Portland, U.S.A., 10/8/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Teppei Suegami (Japan) - 2:23:43
2. Donovan Fellows (U.S.A.) - 2:24:05
3. Justin Banks (U.S.A.) - 2:34:47

Women
1. Allison Goldstein (U.S.A.) - 2:50:26
2. Moira O'Connor (U.S.A.) - 2:57:57
3. Mai Fujisawa (Japan) - 2:58:41

Miyawaki photo © 2017 Dr. Helmut Winter, all rights reserved
text © 2017 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Keita Sato Joins Swoosh TC

After appearing at a Nike event on Apr. 3, U20 1500 m NR and indoor 3000 m and 5000 m NR holder Keita Sato , 22, updated his Instagram profile to announce that he is joining Nike's Swoosh TC . At the Nike event Sato said that he plans to run the 1500 m at the Apr. 11 Kanaguri Memorial Meet, then will move to the U.S. "To be successful at the global level I need to train and grow alongside world-class athletes," he said. "I have to take every day seriously in order to achieve that dream of being internationally competitive." Swoosh TC was founded last year. Its coach Mike Smith has guided many athletes to international championships, including prior to Swoosh TC's launch, with some earning medals and podium finishes under his leadership. photo © 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved source article: https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/204241/2 translated by Brett Larner

Updates on Transfers

April 1 is the start of Japan's new academic and fiscal year, and there's always a wave of transfer announcements to go with it. Some notable ones yesterday: 800 m NR holder Rin Kubo skipped university to go straight to 2023 Queens Ekiden national champion Sekisui Kagaku after her graduation from Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S. Multiple NR holder Nozomi Tanaka rejoined the Toyota Jidoshokki women's team after having left it to pursue a solo pro career as a New Balance athlete. Already on the team for this fall's Nagoya Asian Games in the 10000 m, Ririka Hironaka announced a switch from her longtime home at Japan Post to the Uniqlo women's team. Collegiate marathon record holder Asahi Kuroda joined the 2026 national champion GMO corporate team after graduating from 2026 Hakone Ekiden champ Aoyama Gakuin University last week. Hakone Ekdien First Stage CR holder Rui Aoki joins the Sumitomo Denko corporate team after running his final race for 2025 Izumo Ekiden w...

Chien Breaks TPE NR, Iwata Betters ID-Class WR - Weekend Track Roundup

The last weekend of the academic and fiscal year saw at least 5 meets with good results domestically and abroad. Kicking things off Friday was the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, where Tomohiro Shinno and Naoto Hasegawa took 1st and 3rd in the men's high jump, both of them only clearing 2.18 m along with 2nd-placer Roman Anastasios . 12 other Japanese athletes were in action on the second day of the meet on Saturday, where 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura ran 3:42.84 for 6th in the men's 1500 m. Nagiya Mori had a better one in the men's 3000 m with a 7:45.40 for 4th. Both Yota Mashiko and Rui Suzuki cleared 8:00 too, Mashiko's 7:53.84 the 2nd-fastest ever by a Japanese-born high schooler. Abigail Fuka Ido and Nagisa Takahashi both placed 3rd in their events, Ido going 23.85 (-0.9) in the women's 200 m and Takahashi clearing 1.82 m in the women's high jump. 8 Japanese men were at The TEN in California to run 10000 m. In the B-heat won by Edward Marks in ...

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