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Maeda Solos Sanyo Ladies Half Marathon Win, Kimanzi Equals 10 km Course Record



The 37th Sanyo Ladies Road Race took place Dec. 23 in Okayama on a course starting and finishing at City Lights Stadium. In the half marathon division, MGC Race 2020 Olympic marathon trials qualifier Honami Maeda (Tenmaya) won her first Sanyo title in 1:09:12, the fastest time by a Japanese woman in over 5 years. Dropping the lead pack just a kilometer into the race, Maeda ran solo the entire way to become the only Japanese woman under 1:10 this year.

Australian Ellie Pashley was 2nd in 1:09:20, with Maeda's teammate and fellow MGC qualifier Rei Ohara (Tenmaya) 3rd in 1:10:37. National record holder Kayoko Fukushi (Wacoal) was 6th in 1:11:32. Both Ohara and Fukushi are scheduled to run January's Osaka International Women's Marathon.

In the 10 km division, Kenyan Grace Kimanzi (Starts) equalled the 31:54 course record set in 2007 by future Olympic marathon gold medalist Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia. Tenmaya runners Sara Miyake and Mai Nishiwaki were a distant 2nd and 3rd.

source article:
https://www.sankei.com/sports/news/181223/spo1812230012-n1.html
translated and edited by Brett Larner

37th Sanyo Ladies Road Race

Okayama, 12/23/18

Half Marathon
1. Honami Maeda (Tenmaya) - 1:09:12
2. Ellie Pashley (Australia) - 1:09:20
3. Rei Ohara (Tenmaya) - 1:10:37
4. Minami Yamanouchi (Kyocera) - 1:10:44
5. Mizuki Tanimoto (Tenmaya) - 1:11:02
6. Kayoko Fukushi (Wacoal) - 1:11:32
7. Yuko Kikuchi (Hokuren) - 1:12:31
8. Chika Ihara (Higo Ginko) - 1:12:35
9. Madoka Nakano (Noritz) - 1:12:44
10. Chiharu Suzuki (Hitachi) - 1:12:46

10 km
1. Grace Kimazi (Starts) - 31:54 - CR
2. Sara Miyake (Tenmaya) - 33:25
3. Mai Nishiwaki (Tenmaya) - 33:28
4. Nanami Aoki (Iwatani Sangyo) - 33:31
5. Kotomi Tsubokura (Wacoal)

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