japan running news

2nd in the women's race at last year's Riga Marathon, Kikuyo Tsuzaki (Noritz) returned to take 4th in 2:35:03 in this year's record-breaking edition, three and a half minutes slower than her solid run last year but still good enough to be the second-fastest time run outside Japan this year by a Japanese woman. More on the men's and women's races here.

At Sweden's Goteborgsvarvet Half Marathon, 2015 National University Half Marathon champion and 2015 World University Games half marathon silver medalist Tadashi Isshiki and his GMO teammate Hiroki Yamagishi were ineffectual, Isshiki five minutes off the win in 1:06:37 for 17th and Yamagishi 23rd in only 1:08:20.

© 2018 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

by Brett Larner

Running as part of a corporate league overseas junket, 2017 National Corporate Half Marathon women's champion Ai Utsunomiya (Team Miyazaki Ginko) and other Japanese athletes at Sweden's Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon were totally ineffectual. Utsunomiya had the best placing at 9th in 1:15:41, nearly eight minutes off Kenyan winner Fancy Chemutai's 1:07:58, with Yuri Nozoe (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) another minute behind.

Only a mid-63 runner, Ryo Hashimoto (Team GMO Athletes) went out with the lead pack for the first couple of kilometers before fading to 1:05:01 for 11th, nearly five minutes off winner Geoffrey Yegon of Kenya.  With a 1:02:01 best Shun Inoura (Team Yachiyo Kogyo) barely escaped being run down by women's winner Chemutai, finishing 17th in 1:07:26.

Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon
Gothenburg, Sweden, 5/20/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Geoffrey Yegon (Kenya) - 1:00:19
2. Amos Kipruto (Kenya) - 1:00:24
3. Leonard Langat (Kenya) - 1:00…

Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon
Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, 5/22/16
click here for complete results

Women
1. Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) - 1:09:07
2. Ayantu Gemechu (Ethiopia) - 1:11:19
3. Bekelech Daba (Ethiopia) - 1:11:42
4. Risa Takenaka (Japan/Shiseido) - 1:11:52
5. Etalemahu Zeleke (Ethiopia) - 1:15:04

Men
1. Abraham Akopesha (Kenya) - 1:02:08
2. Evans Kurui (Kenya) - 1:02:27
3. Wilson Too (Kenya) - 1:02:48
4. Amos Kurgat (Kenya) - 1:03:25
5. Simon Tesfay (Eritrea) - 1:04:01

GoteborgsVarvet Half Marathon
Goteborg, Sweden, 5/21/16
click here for complete results

Men
1. Richard Mengich (Kenya) - 59:35
2. Geoffrey Yegon (Kenya) - 1:00:12
3. Leonard Langat (Kenya) - 1:01:40
4. Morris Munene (Kenya) - 1:01:40
5. Festus Talam (Kenya) - 1:01:48
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9. Tsubasa Hayakawa (Japan/Toyota) - 1:04:12
11. Keita Baba (Japan/Honda) - 1:04:51

Women
1. Viola Jepchumba (Kenya) - 1:08:01
2. Worknesh Degefa (Ethiopia) - 1:08:54
3. Angela Tanui (Kenya) - 1:09:32
4. Ashete Bekele (Ethiopia) - 1:10:36
5.…

Göteborg, Sweden, 5/23/15
click here for complete results

Women
1. Worknesh Degefa (Ethiopia) - 1:08:13
2. Isabella Ochichi (Kenya) - 1:09:45
3. Beatrice Mutai (Kenya) - 1:09:46
4. Michi Numata (Japan/Toyota Jidoshokki) - 1:11:37
5. Viola Jepchumba (Kenya) - 1:11:46
6. Reia Iwade (Japan/Noritz) - 1:12:33

Men
1. Richard Mengich (Kenya) - 1:00:44
2. Hizkial Tewelde (Eritrea) - 1:01:19
3. Josphat Kiptis (Kenya) - 1:01:30
4. Henry Kiplagat (Kenya) - 1:01:46
5. Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) - 1:02:06
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13. Keita Shitara (Japan/Konica Minolta) - 1:05:18
15. Shota Hattori (Japan/Honda) - 1:07:18

Note: Both Shitara and Hattori have run under 1:01:30 this year.  The women's world record for the half marathon is 1:05:09.