by Brett Larner
Kenyans
Jairus Chanchima and
Henry Chirchir top the men's entry list for the Apr. 19
Nagano Marathon, with
Beatrice Jepkemboi joining them in hope of becoming just the second Kenyan women's champion in Nagano's 17-year history.
Kiflom Sium (Eritera) and
Bayron Piedra (Ecuador) round out the small international men's field, 2:11 man
Taiga Ito (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) and debuting 1:01:25 half marathoner
Takuya Fukatsu (Team Asahi Kasei) looking like the domestic Japanese favorites.
The women's race features good old-time names like
Catherine Ndereba (Kenya),
Kiyoko Shimahara (Second Wind AC),
Eri Okubo (Miki House) and
Chihiro Tanaka (Athlec AC), but with Russian women having taken 7 of the last 10 Nagano titles it's safe to say that
Nadezhda Leonteva is likely to be Jepkemboi's toughest competition in the women's race despite a difference of over 4 minutes in their bests.
Shoko Mori (Team Otsuka Seiyaku), a training partner of Beijing Wor…