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Sakamoto 2nd in Volksbank Muenster Marathon - Japanese Overseas Results

by Brett Larner

Japanese athletes raced in three European road races in three different countries on Sunday, 2015 Zurich Marathon winner Yoshiko Sakamoto (Y.W.C.) leading the way at Germany's Volksbank Muenster Marathon.  Starting off at a conservative pace that left her 20 seconds behind the lead group at 5 km and over a minute and a half behind by 15 km, over the second half she overtook three women, Ethiopian Belaynesh Yigezu, then Kenyans Janet Cheruiyot and Salina Jebet, to move into 2nd.  2015 Nairobi Marathon winner Elizabeth Rumokol of Kenya, the only woman in the field to have broken 2:30, took 1st in 2:33:01, Sakamoto next in 2:38:46 and Jebet 3rd in 2:42:27.  "I wanted to try to run with the lead group, but they went out too fast," Sakamoto said post-race.  "I was hoping for a faster time but I'm really, really happy to have gotten 2nd.  This was the first time I've ever enjoyed myself while racing seriously."

In the Muesnter men's race 2…
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Weekend International Road Race Results

'Budd and Herron Win the 28th IAU 100 km World Championships'
click here for complete results
Japanese results

Men
11. Tatsuya Itagaki - 6:52:37
35. Yoshikazu Hara - 7:13:33
42. Yoshiki Takada - 7:21:52
63. Tsutomu Nagata - 7:45:57

Women
13. Mikiko Ota - 7:52:39
15. Mai Fujisawa - 7:56:59
DNF - Shiho Katayama
DNF - Chiyuki Mochizuki

'Jepchirchir Shatters Course Record at Usti Nad Labem Half Marathon'
click here for complete results
Japanese Results

Men
12. Yuki Matsuoka - 1:04:34
13. Rikinobu Watanabe - 1:04:57
15. Ryuji Okada - 1:06:49

Women
7. Mizuki Matsuda - 1:12:54
8. Ai Inoue - 1:13:32

'Karoki Runs World-Leading 59:14 in Copenhagen'
click here for complete results
Japanese Results

Men
25. Ryotaro Otani - 1:05:20

'Farah and Keitany Successfully Defend Great North Run Titles'
click here for complete results
Japanese Results

Men
9. Masato Kikuchi - 1:03:13
DNS - Suguru Osako

Women
6. Reia Iwade - 1:12:41
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Keitany, Farah and Cramond Make History at Great North Run

by Brett Larner


The Great North Run celebrated three-part history Sunday, with the great Mary Keitany breaking marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe's course record and Mo Farah bringing home the first British men's win in 29 years to set the stage for the millionth finisher in GNR history, the first race in the world to hit that mark.


In beautiful conditions with a comfortable tailwind heavy favorite Keitany soloed the race the entire way on track for Radcliffe's 1:05:40 record, only appearing to falter near the end.  Bearing down in the home straight she looked to hit the line dead on, but when official results were posted it was announced that she had made it by a second with a new record of 1:05:39.  Nearly a kilometer back, the U.K.'s Gemma Steel was shockingly strong, going head-to-head with London Olympics gold medalist Tiki Gelana, Commonwealth Games silver medalist Caroline Kilel and two-time World Championships gold medalist Edna Kiplagat before droppi…
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Great North Run Entry Lists

2014 Copenhagen World Half Marathon team members Masato Kikuchi (Team Konica Minolta) and Risa Takenaka (Team Shiseido) lead the best-ever Japanese contingent at Sunday's Great North Run half marathon, appearing with support from JRN.

2014 Great North Run
Newcastle, U.K., 9/7/14
click here for complete entry list

Men
Mike Kigen (Kenya) - 59:58
Mo Farah (Great Britain) - 1:00:10a / 1:00:59
Mark Kiptoo (Keya) - 1:00:29
Ezrah Sang (Kenya) - 1:01:03
Stephen Kiprotich (Uganda) - 1:01:15
Masato Kikuchi (Japan/Team Konica Minolta) - 1:01:17
Paulo Roberto de Almeida Paula (Brazil) - 1:02:30
Thomas Ayeko (Uganda) - 1:02:32
Keisuke Tanaka (Japan/Team Fujitsu) - 1:02:38
Hiroaki Sano (Japan/Team Honda) - 1:02:40
Sho Matsueda (Japan/Team Mitsubishi Juko Nagasaki) - 1:02:41
Ian Hudspith (Great Britain) - 1:02:53
Tariku Bekele (Ethiopia) - 1:02:59
Jonathan Mellor (Great Britain) - 1:02:59
Takamitsu Hashimoto (Japan/Team Komori Corp.) - 1:03:13
Luis Feiteira (Portugal) - 1:03:43
Tadele Geremew…
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Kikuchi and Takenaka Join Farah, Kiprotich, Kiplagat and Keitany at Sept. 7 Great North Run

by Brett Larner
photos by rikujolove

2014 Copenhagen World Half Marathon Japanese national team members Masato Kikuchi (Team Konica Minolta) and Risa Takenaka (Team Shiseido) will join London Olympics and Moscow World Championships 5000 m and 10000 m double gold medalist Mo Farah (GBR), London and Moscow marathon gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich (Uganda), Daegu and Moscow World Championships marathon gold medalist Edna Kiplagat (Kenya), Birmingham World Half Marathon gold medalist Mary Keitany (Kenya) and others at the Sept. 7 Great North Run half marathon in Newcastle, U.K.

Kikuchi, formerly captain of Meiji University's Hakone Ekiden team, has broken 62 minutes for the half marathon three times so far this year including a 1:01:17 PB for 2nd at February's National Corporate Half Marathon Championships and a 1:01:23 at March's Copenhagen World Half Marathon, where he was the only athlete born outside Africa to make the top 25.  Takenaka, a former captain of National Universi…
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Best-Ever Japanese Results at Great North Run (updated)

by Brett Larner

The 2013 Great North Run lived up to expectations with thrilling races up front on both the men's and women's sides.  Battling strong crosswinds through the first half of the race and benefitting from an equally strong tailwind through the middle stages, 5000 m and 10000 m world record holder Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) made a successful transition to longer distances with a 1:00:09 win by one second over favorite Mo Farah (Great Britain) and the great Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) who took nearly two minutes off the existing 40+ world record in 1:00:41, while London Marathon winner Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya) mopped the soaking wet roads with Moscow World Championships 5000 m and 10000 m gold medalists Meseret Defar (Ethiopia) and Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) to win in a smoking 1:05:45.  The JRN-supported Japanese contingent brought its A-game, six of the seven of them making the top eight led by Arata Fujiwara (Miki House) who scored the best-ever Japanese men's…
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Great North Run Start Lists

by Brett Larner

Scratches from the upper end of the entry lists for tomorrow's Great North Run include Koen Raymaekers (Netherlands) and Andy Vernon (Great Britain) in the men's race and #1-ranked Brit Gemma Steel, Irene Jerotich (Kenya), Jen Rhines (U.S.A.), Laura Whittle (Great Britain) and Abigail Bayley (Great Britain) in the women's race.

2013 Great North Run Start List Highlights
Newcastle-South Shields, U.K., 9/15/13

Men
Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) - debut
Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) - 58:55 (Phoenix, 2006)
Mo Farah (Great Britain) - 1:00:22 (New York 2011)
Collis Birmingham (Australia) - 1:00:56 (Marugame 2013)
Daniele Meucci (Italy) - 1:01:06 (New York 2013)
Arata Fujiwara (Japan/Miki House) - 1:01:34 (Marugame 2012)
Tomohiro Tanigawa (Japan/Team Konica Minolta) - 1:02:17 (Marugame 2013)
Yuki Kawauchi (Japan/Saitama Pref. Gov't) - 1:02:18 (Marugame 2012)
Jonathan Mellor (Great Britain) - 1:02:59 (New York 2012)
Ryota Matoba (Japan/Team Komori Corp.) - 1:03:15 (N…
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Fujiwara and Kawauchi Lead Seven-Strong Japanese Contingent at Great North Run

by Brett Larner

Sunday's Great North Run features men's and women's races bound to go down in history, with the winners of the last five Olympic 10000 m gold medals, Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia), Mo Farah (Great Britain) and now-veteran Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) slated to go head-to-head in the men's race and London Olympics marathon silver medalist Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya) going after Moscow World Championships 5000 m and 10000 m gold medalists Meseret Defar (Ethiopia) and Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia).  Even though there may be doubts as to whether Bekele will really start what would be his half marathon debut, what more could you ask for?

But beyond the big stars both races feature deep quality fields.  The men's race features 2013 Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon winner Collis Birmingham (Australia), top Europeans Daniele Meucci (Italy) and Koen Raymaekers (Netherlands), and five Japanese men appearing with support from JRN.  London Olympian Arata Fujiw…
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Catching Up With Arata Fujiwara

by Brett Larner


2:07:48 marathoner and London Olympian Arata Fujiwara (Miki House) is one of seven Japanese athletes running next week’s Great North Run half marathon in the U.K. with support from JRN. Out of competition with injury since a memorable run at last December’s Fukuoka International Marathon, the Great North Run will be Fujiwara’s first race of 2013. On Sept. 3 JRN met up with Fujiwara at his training base in St. Moritz, Switzerland. While doing a 33 km trail run together starting at 1772 m and peaking at 2755 m, we chatted about his current condition and plans for the upcoming season.

Are you an E.L.O. fan?  That's what I was listening to the whole way up here. "Mr. Blue Sky" came on just before the train pulled into St. Moritz station, appropriately enough.
No, I don't really know them.  I've been listening to a lot of early Pink Floyd lately.

How long have you been up here?
About a month. I needed to get away and focus for a while.

How are you fe…
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Kawauchi Wins Ekiden Stage Two Weeks After World Championships

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20130901-OHT1T00257.htm

translated by Brett Larner

Having finished 18th in the Moscow World Championships marathon just two weeks ago, civil servant runner Yuki Kawauchi (26, Saitama Pref. Gov't.) returned to competition Sept. 1 at the 45th running of the five-stage, 30 km Harunako Ekiden in Takasaki, Gunma. Running as part of the Breakthrough team made up of his training partners, Kawauchi ran the 5.5 km Fourth Stage.  Receiving the tasuki in 6th place, he passed three people to move Breakthrough up to 3rd.  Kawauchi missed breaking his own stage record of 15:48 but his time of 16:13 was enough to earn him stage best honors.

Since returning from the World Championships Kawauchi has announced that he will run the Dec. 1st Fukuoka International Marathon, a selection race for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, to determine whether or not to continue to run summer races including future Olympics and World Championships.  In the le…
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'Great North Run: "Citizen Runner" Yuki Kawauchi to Compete'

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/great-north-run-citizen-runner-5817853

Along with Kawauchi, London Olympian Arata Fujiwara (Miki House) will run his first race of 2013 at the Great North Run after recovering from a long injury following December's Fukuoka International Marathon.  Among the other Japanese men competing at the Great North Run, Ryuji Watanabe (Team Toyota Kyushu) and Tomohiro Tanigawa (Team Konica Minolta) both beat Kawauchi at July's Shibetsu Half Marathon, making for an interesting race-inside-a-race.  Ryota Matoba (Team Komori Corp.) and female athletes Ayaka Hitomi (Team Shimamura) and Misaki Kato (Team Kyudenko) round out the Japanese contingent appearing at the Great North Run with support from JRN.
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Kawauchi Plans to Give Up On Rio Olympics If He Fails At Asian Games

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20130820-OHT1T00180.htm

translated and edited by Brett Larner

 The Japanese National Team for this year's Moscow World Championships returned to Tokyo's Narita Airport on August 20.  Having finished 6th in the world as part of the men's 4x100 m relay team, Yoshihide Kiryu (Rakunan H.S.) said that he will not race again until the Oct. 4-8 National Sports Festival at Tokyo's Ajinomoto Stadium, wishing to focus himself on building his basic strength.

After having finished 18th in the men's marathon, Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't.) signaled a potential retreat from pursuing future places on the National Team for summer championships depending on the outcome of the Dec. 1 Fukuoka International Marathon. A hardened expression never leaving his face, Kawauchi confirmed that he has established winning the marathon in the Sept.-Oct. 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, as the door that will open or close his "pat…
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Ikebe Tops Weekend Overseas Half Marathon Results at Great North Run

by Brett Larner

Three Japanese men from two rival companies were on the roads in Europe this weekend competing over the half marathon distance.  At the Great North Run former Meiji University captain Minoru Ikebe (Team Honda) had the fastest time of the three, running just off his PB in 1:03:48, the fastest time ever by a Japanese man on the Great North Run course even though far off winner 2011 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon winner and London Olympics bronze medalist Wilson Kipsang's winning time of 59:06.  Former Team Denso runner and 2012 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Tiki Gelana (Ethiopia) took 3rd in the women's race behind the outstanding debut of Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) and runner-up Edna Kiplagat (Kenya), the 2011 World Championships marathon gold medalist.

In the Czech Republic at the Usti nad Ladem Half Marathon, 2011 World Championships men's marathon team member Yoshinori Oda (Team Toyota) ran almost 30 seconds off Ikebe's GNR time, clocking 1:04:18 for 4t…
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Former Suzuki Teammates Kabuu and Mathathi Win Great North Run Half Marathon

by Brett Larner

Former teammates at Shizuoka-based Suzuki Hamamatsu AC, Kenyans Lucy Wangui Kabuu and Martin Irungu Mathathi staged dominating performances to win the women's and men's races at the rolling downhill Great North Run half marathon on Sept. 18.  Wangui, a graduate of Aomori Yamada H.S. before running for Suzuki and winning 10000 m gold and 5000 m bronze at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, showed no sign of her near-absence from competition since the Beijing Olympics as she made an early surge at world record pace to easily crush the field, winning in 1:07:06 over two minutes up on runner-up Jessica Augusto (Portugal).  2011 Yokohama International Women's Marathon 3rd-placer Marisa Barros (Portugal) was 3rd again only four weeks after finishing 9th in the Daegu World Championships marathon.  Formerly Japan-based Mara Yamauchi (Great Britain), in training for November's third edition of Yokohama, was a DNF after dropping from the lead pack early.

Mathathi, the 2…
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