With just over 2 weeks to go the Feb. 2 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon has finally announced its elite field. It looks pretty good at the front end at first glance, but #1-ranked Vincent Kipchumba hasn't finished a marathon since his 2:04:28 best in London 4 years ago and has only run one race, a 29:05 10 km in 2023. #2-ranked Kiyoto Hirabayashi of Koku Gakuin University, winner in Osaka last year in a collegiate and debut record 2:06:18, is very unlikely to actually start, and #3-ranked Yohanes Ghebregergis likewise hasn't run a marathon since his 2:06:28 best in 2021 and only a single half marathon, 1:02:15 last spring, since then.
So, that leaves a pretty tasty matchup between 2021 Tokyo Olympics alternate Shohei Otsuka, 2:06:57, last year's winner Derese Workneh, 2:07:58 in his Beppu-Oita victory, and Tesfahun Akalnew, 2:07:59. Another 5 people are at the 2:08 level, and then there are a truckload of 1:01 half marathoners taking a shot at the marathon distance. Runners from this year's Hakone Ekiden champion Aoyama Gakuin University have had a big impact at Beppu-Oita over the last few years, and on the entry list are 3 members of this year's lineup, Fifth Stage CR breaker Hiroki Wakabayashi, Eighth Stage winner Shota Shiode, and Seventh Stage runner Kosei Shiraishi.
Koku Gakuin's Fifth Stage runner Goki Takayama is also in the field. Also making a debut is former 10000 m NR holder Kota Murayama, who has said he will retire after the race no matter how well he runs. His twin brother Kenta Murayama, also a sub-61 half marathoner, will be running it with him.
Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon
Elite Field Highlights
Oita, 2 Feb. 2025
times listed are athletes' best in last 3 years except where noted
Vincent Kipchumba (Kenya) - 2:04:28 (London 2021)
Kiyoto Hirabayashi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 2:06:18 (Osaka 2024)
Yohanes Ghebregergis (Eritrea) - 2:06:28 (Siena 2021) - scratch
Shohei Otsuka (Kyudenko) - 2:06:57 (Osaka 2023)
Derese Workneh (Ethiopia/Hiramatsu Byoin) - 2:07:58 (Beppu-Oita 2024)
Tesfahun Akalnew (Ethiopia) - 2:07:59 (Sevilla 2023)
Dominic Nyairo (Kenya) - 2:08:13 (Tokyo 2023)
Ryo Osaki (Komori Corp.) - 2:08:30 (Osaka 2023)
Daiji Kawai (Toenec) - 2:08:31 (Tokyo 2022)
Atsumi Ashiwa (Honda) - 2:08:37 (Hofu 2023)
Hironori Kishimoto (GMO) - 2:08:38 (Beppu-Oita 2024) - scratch
Madoka Tanihara (Osaka Police) - 2:09:39 (Osaka 2024)
Chihiro Ono (GMO) - 2:10:15 (Osaka 2023)
Yuki Muta (Logisteed) - 2:10:28 (Beppu-Oita 2024)
Masaki Tsuda (Nishitetsu) - 2:10:40 (Beppu-Oita 2023)
Takashi Soma (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 2:10:46 (Nobeoka 2024)
Ryu Takaku (Yakult) - 2:10:52 (Osaka 2024)
Keijiro Mogi (Asahi Kasei) - 2:11:25 (Osaka 2024)
Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 2:11:26 (Nobeoka 2023)
Ryota Ejima (Mitsubishi Juko) - 2:11:27 (Nobeoka 2023)
Yoshihiro Maeda (Kurosaki Harima) - 2:12:05 (Osaka 2024)
Ryan Gregson (Australia) - 2:13:31 (Melbourne 2024)
Debut
Kota Murayama (GMO) - 1:00:59 (National Corporate Half 2022)
Hiroki Wakabayashi (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:01:25 (Marugame Half 2023)
Evans Kipkemei (Kenya/JFE Steel) - 1:01:33 (Berlin Half 2022)
Goki Takayama (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 1:01:42 (Marugame Half 2023)
Kyosuke Mafune (Subaru) - 1:01:53 (National Corporate Half 2024)
Shota Shiode (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:01:54 (Marugame Half 2024) - scratch
Kaede Shinohara (Fujisan no Meisui) - 1:02:17 (Marugame Half 2024)
Kazumoto Iwasa (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 1:02:30 (National Corporate Half 2024)
Takato Suzuki (GMO) - 1:02:58 (National Corporate Half 2024)
Kosei Shiraishi (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:03:05 (National University Half 2024)
© 2025 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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