Weekend Overseas Race Results

Two weeks after running 2:32:30 at the Tokyo Marathon and a week after a 2:34:49 in Nagoya, Hiroko Yoshitomi (Memolead) ran Taiwan's Wan Jin Shi Marathon. Hoping to break the 2:34:53 course record, Yoshitomi led the lead pack of six women through most of the first half. But nearing the turnaround point she faded, leaving eventual winner Naomi Jepkosgei Maiyo (Kenya) to claim the win in a new course record time of 2:34:08. Runner-up Meseret Gola Sisay (Ethiopia) was also under the old course record, just, in 2:34:51. Yoshitomi fell off pace to take 6th in 2:48:45. The course record also fell in the men's race, with winner Matthew Kipsaat (Kenya) negative splitting a 2:11:17 for the win. Kipsaat was the only runner to go under the old course record of 2:13:05.

Eriko Kushima (Noritz) was faster than Yoshitomi at the Seoul Marathon, running 2:40:55 for 10th. Kazuki Takeshita (SDF) ran 2:14:14 for 12th in the men's race, the best time by a Japanese man outside Japan so far this year.

Twelve time zones away, Ken Nakayama ran his final race in the Chuo University uniform at the United Airlines NYC Half. Running in the main pack throughout the first half of the race, Nakayama experienced some twinges in his right thigh on the downhill off the Williamsburg Bridge and began to lose touch. In the hills of the final 5 km he felt increasing discomfort in his thigh and slowed to finish 19th in 1:05:48, more than four minutes off his best. Belay Tilahun (Ethiopian) won the race up front, running down early breakaway leader Daniel Mesfun (Eritrea) and favorite Paul Chelimo (U.S.A.) for the win in 1:02:10. Women's world record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) pulled away after a slow first 5 km to win by a minute in 1:10:07.

United Airlines NYC Half

New York, U.S.A., 3/17/19

Women
1. Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) - 1:10:07
2. Mary Ngugi (Kenya) - 1:11:07
3. Buze Diriba (Ethiopia) - 1:11:07
4. Emma Bates (U.S.A.) - 1:11:33
5. Des Linden (U.S.A.) - 1:11:22
6. Birtukan Fente Alemu (Ethiopia) - 1:12:17

Men
1. Belay Tilahun (Ethiopia) - 1:02:10
2. Daniel Mesfun (Eritrea) - 1:02:16
3. Paul Chelimo (U.S.A.) - 1:02:19 - debut
4. Jared Ward (U.S.A.) - 1:02:33
5. Noah Droddy (U.S.A.) - 1:02:39
6. Brogan Austin (U.S.A.) - 1:02:41
-----
20. Ken Nakayama (Japan/Chuo Univ.) - 1:05:48

New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi Marathon

New Taipei City, Taiwan, 3/17/19
complete results

Women
1. Naomi Jepkosgei Maiyo (Kenya) - 2:34:08 - CR
2. Meseret Gola Sisay (Ethiopia) - 2:34:51
3. Ednah Mukhwana (Kenya) - 2:36:01
4. Sorome Negash Amente (Ethiopia) - 2:36:11
5. Nancy Jebet Koech (Kenya) - 2:38:21
6. Hiroko Yoshitomi (Japan/Memolead) - 2:48:45

Men
1. Matthew Kipsaat (Kenya) - 2:11:17 - CR
2. Philip Cheruiyot Kangogo (Kenya) - 2:13:57
3. Alex Chepkwik Saekwo (Kenya) - 2:15:18
4. Abraham Girma Bekele (Ethiopia) - 2:16:12
5. Willy Kiplangat Ngelel (Kenya) - 2:19:37
6. Mike Kiprotich Mutai (Kenya) - 2:25:32

Seoul Marathon

Seoul, South Korea, 3/17/19

Women
1. Desi Jisa Mokonin (Bahrain) - 2:23:44
2. Hirut Tibebu (Ethiopia) - 2:24:05
3. Celestine Chepchirchir (Kenya) - 2:24:48
4. Zinash Mekonnen (Ethiopia) - 2:25:42
5. Mercy Kibarus (Kenya) - 2:27:20
6. Seul-ki Ahn (South Korea) - 2:27:28
-----
10. Eriko Kushima (Noritz) - 2:40:55

Men
1. Thomas Kiplagat (Kenya) - 2:06:00
2. Elisha Rotich (Kenya) - 2:06:12
3. Mike Kiptum (Kenya) - 2:06:22
4. Fikre Bekele (Ethiopia) - 2:06:27
5. Robert Kipkemboi (Kenya) - 2:07:09
6. Tariku Kinfu (Ethiopia) - 2:09:06
-----
12. Kazuki Takeshita (SDF) - 2:14:14
13. Saeki Makino (DNPL) - 2:14:36

© 2019 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Japan Post Holds Off Sekisui Kagaku to Win Queens Ekiden National Title

Japan Post was back on top at the Queens Ekiden corporate women's national championships Sunday in Sendai, holding off last year's winner Sekisui Kagaku over the second half of a race that came as close as 1 second to take 1st with a final margin of victory of 27 seconds. Sekisui Kagaku was out fast with a win on the 7.0 km opening leg by Erika Tanoura and a new CR for the 12:56 second leg by Yuma Yamamoto , 17 seconds better than her own CR from last year. Last year's 4th-placer Shiseido briefly led on the 10.6 km third leg with an excellent 33:17 stage win from Rino Goshima , but behind her Japan Post's Ririka Hironaka returned from her latest injury problems to pass Sekisui Kagaku's Sayaka Sato and hand off 6 seconds ahead. New recruit Caroline Kariba ran Shiseido down on the 3.6 km fourth leg and put Japan Post 22 seconds ahead of Sekisui Kagaku, but a duel of marathoners between JP's Ayuko Suzuki and Sekisui's Hitomi Niiy...

Saku Chosei H.S. Makes It 2 In a Row - National High School Ekiden Boys' Race

While the girls' race was a blowout by 2022 champ Nagano Higashi H.S. , the boys' race at Sunday's National High School Ekiden was a tense battle of turnover that saw all of the final top four teams take a stab at leading. 2023 3rd-placer Yachiyo Shoin H.S. handled the first 2 of the 7 stages in the 42.195 km race, with lead runner Rui Suzuki delivering a bold run on the 10.0 km First Stage that produced the fastest-ever time by a Japanese runner on the stage, 28:43, and put Yachiyo Shoin 29 seconds out front. Last year's Fifth Stage CR breaker Tetsu Suzuki ran Yachiyo Shoin down to put 2023 champ Saku Chosei H.S. into 1st on the 8.1075 km Third Stage, but Genta Sugano of last year's 8th-placer Sendai Ikuei H.S. had other plans and took the lead on the 8.0875 km Fourth Stage. Smiling and fist pumping to the crowd almost the entire way, Taketo Tsukada of last year's 6th-placer Omuta H.S. moved up from 3rd to 1st by 2 seconds over Saku Chosei on the 3.0 k...

2023 Champion Kamimura Gakuen Girls Ready for Sunday's National High School Ekiden

Ahead of the Dec. 22 National High School Ekiden in Kyoto, the 2023 national champion Kamimura Gakuen H.S. girls held an open practice session for the media. 2023 was Kamimura Gakuen's only 2nd national title ever. Can it make it two in a row? The Kamimura Gakuen girls won the Nov. 2 Kagoshima Prefecture High School Ekiden, its 9th-straight win and 31st victory overall in the prefectural qualifying race for Nationals. 3rd on her stage at Nationals last year as part of the winning team, Hina Ogura summed up this year's lineup. "There's no really dominant star runner this year, but each person is aware of their position on the team and working together to share in everyone playing leading roles." Sakine Noguchi ran the Second Stage at Nationals last year. "I think we've improved our stamina," she said, "so I hope that we can get the best possible results and all finish with a smile." Handling the First Stage last year, Rin Setoguchi said,...

japan running news

Search This Blog