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Mathathi Wins Second-Straight Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, Kalmer Sets Women's Course Record

http://jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2012052000089

translated and edited by Brett Larner

In the race's second running, held May 20, 2007 Osaka World Championships 10000 m bronze medalist Martin Mathathi (Kenya/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) won his second-straight Naoko Takahashi Cup Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon in a time of 1:01:29.  London Olympics marathon team member Arata Fujiwara (Miki House) was the top Japanese finisher, 6th overall in 1:03:05, while civil servant runner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref.) was 12th in 1:04:13.

Both Fujiwara and Kawauchi ran last weekend's Sendai International Half Marathon as well, with Fujiwara marking a faster time in Gifu.  "Running consistently two weeks in a row makes me feel like I've got the risks involved with what I want to do [at the Olympics] under control," said Fujiwara of his performance, which confirmed that he is able to produce desired results even under unfavorable conditions.  To simulate the heat he is likely to face at the Olympics, Fujiwara did not take any drinks during the race.  "Everything tells me that there's no problem with the direction my training is going," he said, stressing that he is making good progress in calibrating his training to be ready for the main event.

Translator's note: South African Rene Kalmer won the women's race in a CR 1:13:02 by two seconds over the great Catherine Ndereba of Kenya.

2012 Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon
Gifu, 5/20/12
click here for complete results

Men
1. Martin Mathathi (Kenya/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:01:29
2. Samuel Ndungu (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) - 1:01:57
3. Patrick Mwaka (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) - 1:02:14
4. Jacob Wanjuki (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) - 1:02:54
5. Micah Njeru (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 1:02:55
6. Arata Fujiwara (Miki House) - 1:03:05
7. James Mwangi (Kenya/Team NTN) - 1:03:12
8. Dishon Maina Karukuwa (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) - 1:03:15
9. Shingo Mishima (Team Toyota) - 1:03:47
10. Mahoro Ikeda (Team Aichi Seiko) - 1:03:56

Women
1. Rene Kalmer (South Africa) - 1:13:02 - CR
2. Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) - 1:13:04 (CR)
3. Eri Okubo (Second Wind AC) - 1:13:26 (CR)
4. Kaori Sakurai (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:14:10
5. Lidia Simon (Romania) - 1:14:26
6. Kaori Akagawa (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:14:55
7. Eriko Noguchi (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:16:18
8. Shoko Shimizu (Team Aichi Denki) - 1:17:06
9. Haruna Yamamoto (Team Aichi Denki) - 1:18:18
10. Yuko Mizuguchi (Team Denso) - 1:19:56
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