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Krifchin and Lemciyeh Win Kobe Marathon

The Kobe Marathon held its 7th running on Nov. 19.  19,709 runners took part in this year's race, with 600,000 people cheering them on along the course between the start at Kobe City Hall and the finish in the Kobe Harbor area which this year celebrates its 150th anniversary. American Maegan Krifchin, 29, won the women's race in a course record time of 2:33:14. Khalil Lemciyeh of Morocco also broke the men's course record, winning in 2:12:49.

The Kobe Marathon is organized by the Hyogo Prefectural Government and the City of Kobe. 7,500 volunteers helped runners over the course of the three days of race weekend. This year the turnaround point moved 1.25 km to the west, taking runners under Akashi Kaikyo Bridge for the first time. The final section of the course on Port Island was shortened to make up the distance. At noon at the finish area temperatures were 12 degrees with 65% humidity. 18,949 people finished the race.

At the starting ceremony in front of City Hall, a moment of silence was held for the victims of disasters including the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the East Japan Earthquake, and the Kumamoto Earthquake. Elementary school students from Sendai and high schoolers from Kobe pledged to "choose happiness" in their lives. Wearing yellow gloves representing the sunflower, the symbol of reconstruction, the entire field of runners raised both hands above their heads into the clear blue sky.

source article: 
https://www.kobe-np.co.jp/rentoku/kobemarathon/news/201711/0010747135.shtml
translated and edited by Brett Larner
photos © 2017 Cameron Hart, all rights reserved

7th Kobe Marathon

Kobe, Hyogo, 11/19/17

Women
1. Maegan Krifchin (U.S.A.) - 2:33:14 - CR, PB
2. Sana Achahbar (Morocco) - 2:35:34
3. Simegn Yeshanbel (Ethiopia) - 2:40:41
4. Mizuha Otaru (Japan/Kobe Gakuin Univ.) - 2:40:41
5. Kana Unno (Japan/Noritz) - 2:44:07
6. Linda Spencer (Australia) - 2:46:28
7. Masa Shimizu (Japan/Amagasaki T&F Assoc.) - 2:48:54
8. Ai Ogo (Japan/Himeji T&F Assoc.) - 2:49:32

Men
1. Khalil Lemciyeh (Morocco) - 2:12:49 - CR
2. Cosmas Kyeba (Kenya) - 2:14:24
3. Michael Chege (Kenya) - 2:16:08
4. Saidi Makula (Tanzania) - 2:16:32
5. Junji Katakawa (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:18:32
6. Manabu Yamada (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:19:15
7. Osamu Matsuyama (Japan/Univer SC) - 2:23:07
8. Yoshiki Kawauchi (Japan/Jaybird) - 2:23:14

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