Amos Kurgat and Dolphine Omare Win Again at Gifu Seiryu Half

2019 Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon men's winner Amos Kurgat (Chudenko) and last year's women's champ Dolphine Omare (U.S.E.) were back on top with repeat wins this time. Despite a good field with four sub-60 runners the men's race went out too slow for Kurgat's liking. Within the first 5 km he was away, leading by 6 seconds at 5 km and never looking back as he won by over a minute in 1:00:20. The pack behind him came down to a five-way sprint finish, with past Marugame Half winner Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon) turning in one of his better runs in years with a 1:01:37 for 2nd. Former Soka University top man Philip Mulwa (GMO) was 3rd in 1:01:38 in his corporate league debut, with top Japanese man Kiyoshi Koga (Yasukawa Denki) 4th in 1:01:40.

Omare led start to finish in the women's race, initially with company from the debuting Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) and Ethiopian great Tirunesh Dibaba through 5 km in 16:06 but soon leaving both behind. Omare came up short of her goal of bettering her 1:07:56 PB, but she got close with a 1:08:18 for the win by over a minute and a half. Ekarare was 2nd in 1:09:53, just holding off Dibaba by 4 seconds. Dibaba's last 6 km was maybe the most surprising thing in the race, having dropped 35 seconds behind Ekarare and being run down by the chase group by 15 km but rallying for 3rd in 1:09:57. Canadian Malindi Elmore was the top finisher from the chase group at 4th in 1:10:11, a PB at age 43. Both Dibaba and Elmore ran in the 2004 Athens Olympics 19 years ago, Dibaba in the 5000 m and Elmore in the 1500 m, an impressive testament to their longevity and dedication.

Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon

Gifu, 23 Apr. 2023

complete results

Women

1. Dolphine Omare (U.S.E.) - 1:08:18

2. Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 1:09:53 - debut

3. Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) - 1:09:57

4. Malindi Elmore (Canada) - 1:10:11 - PB

5. Isobel Batt-Doyle (Australia) - 1:10:16

6. Reia Iwade (Denso) - 1:10:23

7. Rose Davies (Australia) - 1:10:53 - PB

8. Genevieve Gregson (Australia) - 1:11:57 - debut

9. Nanami Aoki (Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:14:14

10. Seika Ogata (Uniqlo) - 1:14:30

Men

1. Amos Kurgat (Chudenko) - 1:00:20

2. Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon) - 1:01:37

3. Philip Mulwa (GMO) - 1:01:38 - debut

4. Kiyoshi Koga (Yasukawa Denki) - 1:01:40

5. Simon Saidimu (Chuo Hatsujo) - 1:01:43 - PB

6. Joseph Karanja (Aichi Seiko) - 1:01:47

7. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei) - 1:01:58

8. Macharia Ndirangu (Aichi Seiko) - 1:02:40

9. Joel Mwaura (Kurosaki Harima) - 1:03:09

10. Vincent Raimoi (Suzuki) - 1:03:09

Wanjiru Breaks Own MR, Fuwa and Ishida Return - Kanto Regionals Day 1 Highlights

Japan's best college meet kicked off Thursday at Tokyo's National Stadium at the 103rd Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships . Looking like she was doing a controlled tempo run, 2nd-yr Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) lapped the entire field to win the women's 10000 m in a meet record 32:02.87, almost 15 seconds under the record she last year in her debut. 3rd-yr Aoi Takahashi (Josai Univ.) was 2nd in 33:29.22 and 2nd-yr Nana Nagashima (Josai Kokusai Univ.) 3rd in a PB 33:30.28, but the other main news alongside Wanjiru's new record was the return of collegiate 10000 m record holder Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) in her first 10000 m in 19 months. Fuwa hung at the back of the chase pack for the first half, made a move to lead it in the second half, and ultimately faded to 9th in 33:40.20. Every comeback has to start somewhere. The D1 men's 10000 m had a tight group up front with the top 6 all finishing within 6 seconds and under 28:10. 3rd-yr Jam

Two-Time Olympic Marathon Medalist Erick Wainaina Referred to Prosectors on Suspicion of Assault

According to investigators, two-time Olympic marathon medalist Erick Wainaina has had his case referred to prosecutors after allegedly injuring a railway employee by striking him in the face at a station in Setagaya, Tokyo. Wainaina, 50, was the bronze medalist in the marathon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and won silver in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Wainaina is suspected of assaulting a woman in her late teens and a male Tokyo Denentoshi Line employee by hitting them in the face during an altercation at Komazawa University Station in March this year, resulting in minor injuries to the man's face. According to investigators, the incident began on the train between Wainaina and the woman, and after getting off at Komazawa University Station he hit her in the face when she asked him to go to the station office with her to report it. When the male railway employee responded to the situation Wainaina reportedly hit him too. In response to questioning Wainaina is said to have answered,

Police Arrest 20-Year-Old Man Charged With Assaulting Female Runner at Popular Tokyo Running Spot

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a female runner along the banks of the Tama River in Ota Ward, Tokyo. "I've been stuck at home because of the coronavirus, so I wanted to go for a walk and move my body a bit," the man told police. Local resident Hirai Muroyama , 20, of no known occupation, was arrested on charges of sexual assault. He is accused of acts including grabbing the breasts of a woman in her 20s at around 10 p.m. on May 31 along the banks of the Tama River. According to police, the woman was taking a break in her run when Muroyama approached her silently from behind and grabbed her breasts before running away. Under police interrogation Muroyama told investigators, "I've been stuck at home because of the coronavirus, so I wanted to go out for a walk and move my body. I'd had a few drinks and was feeling pretty hype. She was totally my type." source article: https://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newsey

japan running news

Search This Blog