JRN's 10 Most-Read Articles of 2023

Komazawa University Takes Overall Hakone Win for First-Ever Triple Crown Ekiden Season Sweep - Jan. 2-3

After winning the first day of the 2023 Hakone Ekiden, Komazawa University joined the exclusive club of teams to pull off the triple crown of wins at the Izumo Ekiden, National University Ekiden and Hakone, dominating the second day to win by just under two minutes over Chuo University. Both teams and 3rd-place Aoyama Gakuin University made the all-time top 10 fastest times, and five men ran the equivalent of a sub-1:01 half marathon. TV viewership was high, with ratings of 35.0%. JRN's pre-race preview.

Suzuki, Ichiyama, Koyama and Akasaki Paris-Bound - Japan's Olympic Marathon Trials - Oct. 15

At the Marathon Grand Championship race, Japan's trials for the Paris Olympics and the most difficult marathon ever to qualify for, Yuka Suzuki, Mao Ichiyama, Naoki Koyama and Akira Akasaki all scored places on the Olympic team by finishing in the top two. Ai Hosoda and Suguru Osako were 3rd, leaving them vulnerable to being knocked off the team by someone running a fast time during the winter 2023-24 marathon season. JRN picked the 50th-ranked Akasaki to make the team in our pre-race preview.

A Record-Breaking Day at the Osaka Marathon - Feb. 25

The top three women and top eleven men went under the course record at the Osaka Marathon, with Ethiopians Helen Bekele Tola and Hailemaryam Kiros taking the top spots in 2:22:16 and 2:06:01. Top Japanese placing went to Momoko Watanabe at 3rd in 2:23:08 and Kazuya Nishiyama with a marathon debut NR 2:06:45 for 6th. 2nd and 3rd Japanese men Yohei Ikeda and Shohei Otsuka also went under 2:07, with another seven Japanese men under 2:08. JRN's pre-race preview.

9th-Grader Drury Scratches from Biwako XC Due to Media Attention: "I Don't Like Them Reporting on My Private Life" - Feb. 4

Less than three weeks after an incredible 9:02 for 3 km at the National Women's Ekiden made a big enough splash that national media started turning up in her neighborhood to try to interview her friends and neighbors to get information about her, 9th-grader Sherry Drury scratched from the Biwako Cross Country Meet to avoid the attention, issuing a statement through a lawyer saying, "I'd like to ask media and fans to leave me alone."

Wanjiru Runs World Lead, Deso Wins 3-Way Sprint Finish, Levins Breaks Canadian NR, and More - Tokyo Marathon - Mar. 5

Longtime Japanese resident Rosemary Wanjiru ran a world-leading 2:16:28 to win the Tokyo Marathon women's race, giving a teary-eyed interview in Japanese after the race. Runner-up Tsehay Gemechu ran 2:16:56 but was later stripped of the result as part of a doping suspension. Ethiopians went 1-3 in a sprint finish in the men's race, with Deso Gelmisa taking the win in 2:05:22. Canadian Cam Levins ran an Area Record 2:05:36 for 5th, with Komazawa University alum Ichitaka Yamashita and Kenya Sonota both sub-2:06 for 7th and 8th. Original field listing. JRN's pre-race preview here.

Ruth Chepngetich Repeats in Nagoya With Solo 2:18:08 - Mar. 12

2022 CR breaker Ruth Chepngetich ran alone almost start to finish to win the Nagoya Women's Marathon for the second year in a row in 2:18:08, picking up her second $250,000 check for 1st. In a race to qualify for the MGC Race, 2021 Tokyo Olympians Ayuko Suzuki and Honami Maeda ran PBs of 2:21:52 and 2:22:32 for 2nd and 3rd, with Deshun Zhang running a PB 2:24:05, the fastest time by a Chinese woman since 2012, for 4th. JRN's pre-race preview.

Top 3 Men Break NR, Top 4 Women Under 31:00 at National Championships 10000 m - Dec. 10

Kazuya Shiojiri ran a 27:09.80 to take almost 10 seconds off the Japanese 10000 m NR, with the next three finishers coming in at all-time Japanese #2, #3 and #4 and the 5th-placer at #7. Ririka Hironaka won a four-way sprint finish in the women's race in 30:55.29 that saw 2nd through 4th all go under 31 minutes for the first time with the all-time Japanese #6, #7 and #8 marks.

Olympic Trials Hopefuls Come Up Empty Handed at Ottawa - May 19

Eleven Japanese men ran the Ottawa Marathon in Canada, the last race worldwide where people could qualify for the MGC Race Olympic marathon trials. But with rising temperatures all came up short of the marks they needed. Ryoma Takeuchi was the top finisher at 7th in 2:14:04, almost 6 minutes behind winner Yihunilign Adane of Ethiopia. JRN's pre-race preview.

40-Year-Old Man Arrested on Suspicion of Filming Teenaged Female Track Athlete in Tights - Apr. 15

A 40-year-old man in Yamanashi was arrested after showing up at a local track meet and allegedly shooting video of a teenaged female athlete in a tight uniform waiting for her race. The man admitted to police that that was what he had been doing.

H.S. 5000 m NR Holder Hiroto Yoshioka Recovering from World XC Collapse - Mar. 9

After crawling down the home straight feet-first only to collapse onto his back centimeters from the line at February's Bathurst World Cross Country Championships, H.S. boys' 5000 m NR holder Hiroto Yoshioka talked about the experience and said he was recovering as he prepared to enter Juntendo University. in April where he would train alongside 3000 m steeplechase NR holder Ryuji Miura.

photos © 2023 Mika Tokairin, all rights reserved

text © 2023 Brett Larner, all rights reserved