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Team Asahi Kasei's Masaya Shimizu Takes First-Ever Victory in Nobeoka Nishi Nihon Marathon

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20080224-OHT1T00205.htm
http://www.umk.co.jp/news/headline/20080224.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Masaya Shimizu of Team Asahi Kasei won the Nobeoka Nishi Nihon Marathon on a windy Feb. 24 in a time of 2:13:06. It was his 4th full marathon and first time winning at the distance.

18 seconds behind Shimizu was Team Kyudenko's Tomonori Onitsuka, with Kentaro Nakamoto of Team Yasukawa Denki 3rd in his marathon debut. Team Asahi Kasei's Muneyuki Ojima, running his final marathon, was 9th.

Shimizu launched a spurt at 30 km, breaking up the lead pack and turning the event into a match race against Onitsuka. Attacking at 41 km, he managed to break contact with Onitsuka and run away to his first victory. Both runners were slightly off their PB times.

Conditions at the start were 6.4 degrees with 35% humidity and NNW winds at 6.1 m/s.

Translator's note: Team Asahi Kasei continues its strong showing in the marathon this year. Asahi Kasei runner Tomoya Adachi ran 2:11:59 to win the Feb. 3 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon in his debut, and teammate Hiroyuki Horibata was 9th in the Tokyo Marathon on Feb. 17, likewise debuting in 2:11:47.
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