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MGC Race Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier - Kenji Yamamoto

Kenji Yamamoto

age: 29
sponsor: Mazda
graduated from: Yugakkan H.S., Toyo University

best time inside MGC window:
2:08:42, 7th, 2019 Lake Biwa Marathon

PB: 2:08:42, 7th, 2019 Lake Biwa Marathon

other PBs:
5000 m: 13:55.42 (2013) 10000 m: 28:26.35 (2015) half marathon: 1:01:47 (2014)

marathons inside MGC window (Aug. 1 2017 – April 30 2019)
7th, 2019 Lake Biwa Marathon, 2:08:42 – PB
9th, 2018 Tokyo Marathon, 2:08:48

other major results:
4th, 2019 San Diego Half Marathon, 1:02:01
20th, 2019 National Corporate Half Marathon, 1:02:34
1st, 2019 Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden Sixth Stage (15..9 km), 47:49
3rd, New Year Ekiden Fourth Stage (22.4 km), 1:05:30
1st, 2018 Chugoku Corporate Ekiden Third Stage (11.6 km), 35:43
4th, 2018 San Diego Half Marathon, 1:02:45
4th, 2017 San Diego Half Marathon, 1:03:14
10th, 2017 Lake Biwa Marathon, 2:15:19
2nd, 2012 Hakone Ekiden Third Stage (21.5 km), 1:02:43
1st, 2011 Hakone Ekiden Tenth Stage (23.1 km), 1:09:36

Another of the five Toyo University graduates in the MGC Race men’s field, Yamamoto was part of Toyo’s 2012 Hakone-winning lineup alongside Yuta Shitara (Honda). Since graduating he’s been the relatively stable center of the Mazda corporate team, with three 4th-place finishes at the San Diego Half Marathon. After a 2:15:19 at Lake Biwa in 2017 Yamamoto stepped up with a 2:0848 at last year’s Tokyo Marathon to make the MGC Race.

With his place at the trials assured Yamamoto was back in Lake Biwa this year to go for a 2:06, but while he outlasted every other Japanese man the pace proved too much and he faded to a 2:08:42 just 6 seconds better than his time in Tokyo last year. A PB is a PB, but Yamamoto wasn’t satisfied. Not even with becoming the fastest ponytail / man bun marathoner in the world. Fresh off his fastest time in San Diego, look for him to go for it at the MGC Race. And look out for his younger brother Shuji, Toyo’s current star runner, in a couple of years.

Next profile: Shogo Nakamura (Fujitsu).

© 2019 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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