Skip to main content

Kiptoo Sets Grandma's Marathon Course Record

by Brett Larner
photo by Kenji Ogura

Japan's #3 independent runner Sho Matsumoto (Nikkei Business Service) made his international debut  June 22 at the 37th running of Grandma's Marathon.  Appearing through an invite from outgoing race director Scott Keenan and support from JRN after running a 2:13:38 best at February's Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon, Matsumoto ran comfortably in the lead pack on mid-2:12 pace until eventual winner Bazu Worku (Ethiopia) made his race-breaking move near 30 km.  Worku went on to record the fifth-fastest winning time in Grandma's history, 2:11:14, with Kenyans Ernest Kebenei and Eliud Ngetich joining him under 2:12.  A total of 22 men ran sub-2:20 thanks in part to strong tailwinds throughout much of the point-to-point race.

Unable to follow Worku's play, Matsumoto lost ground and struggled over the final 5 km, ultimately finishing 17th in 2:17:53.  "I should have been able to make the podium," he told JRN post-race.  "I'm really, really disappointed."  Despite his disappointment, Matsumoto's time was the second-best of his relatively short marathon career.  Broadcast announcers took special note of him during the race, saying that at the pre-race press conference Matsumoto had sought out course record holder Dick Beardsley to talk and pay his respects.

The women's race was a Kenyan sweep, with Sarah Kiptoo marking a major PB of 2:26:31 to win by almost four minutes on the way to a new course record and runner-up Doreen Kitaka also setting a new PB of 2:30:21 to beat defending champion Everlyne Lagat, 3rd just off last year's winning time in 2:33:27.

37th Grandma's Marathon
Duluth, MN, June 22, 2013
click here for complete results

Men
1. Bazu Worku (Ethiopia) - 2:11:14
2. Ernest Kebenei (Kenya) - 2:11:45
3. Eliud Ngetich (Kenya) - 2:11:59 - PB
4. Matthew Kiplagat (Kenya) - 2:12:09 - PB
5. Weldon Kirui (Kenya) - 2:12:55
6. Christopher Kipyego (Kenya) - 2:13:00
7. Jordan Chipangama (Zambia) - 2:13:08 - PB
8. Kennedy Kemei (Kenya) - 2:13:17 - PB
9. Michael Reneau (U.S.A.) - 2:13:53 - PB
10. Edward Mbuni (Kenya) - 2:14:28
-----
17. Sho Matsumoto (Japan/Nikkei Business Service) - 2:17:53

Women
1. Sarah Kiptoo (Kenya) - 2:26:31 - CR/PB
2. Doreen Kitaka (Kenya) - 2:30:21 - PB
3. Everlyne Lagat (Kenya) - 2:33:27
4. Divina Jepkogei (Kenya) - 2:34:21 - PB
5. Pasca Myers (Kenya) - 2:34:24 - debut
6. Hirut Guangul (Ethiopia) - 2:35:29
7. Tibnit Gidey (Ethiopia) - 2:36:50
8. Jenna Boren (U.S.A.) - 2:40:38 - PB
9. Laurie Knowles (U.S.A.) - 2:41:59
10. Tezata Dengersa (Ethiopia) - 2:43:30

(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

 photo (c) 2013 Kenji Ogura
all rights reserved
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Hassan Runs NR/CR for Osaka Win, Dibaba Hits Women's CR, Yoshida and Shuley Earn Legends

This was maybe the most entertaining marathon in years. After rocking the 2nd leg at last year's Hakone Ekiden Hibiki Yoshida (Sunbelx) ran an incredible 1:01:01 CR for the 21.9 km New Year Ekiden 2nd leg last month, equivalent to a 58:47 half marathon. That predicted a 2:03:27 marathon if he ever ran one, and when Yoshida announced he was debuting at this year's Osaka Marathon he wasted no time in saying it'd be a shot at the 2:04:55 NR. Things went out fast enough with a 14:50 split through 5 km, 2:05:11 pace, but Yoshida just couldn't hold back and took off at 8 km. He clearly DGAF about what was probably going to happen as his projected finish kept getting faster, 2:04:41, 2:04:15, 2:03:51, 2:03:40, edging closer and closer to what his New Year time predicted, but not helped along by the fact that he missed 4 out of his first 5 drink bottles. People laughed, and then cheered him on. 30 km was the first time he slowed, his finish projection dropping to 2:03:53, an...
1 comment
Read more

Osaka Marathon Preview

The Osaka Marathon is Sunday, one of Japan's biggest mass-participation races and the next stop on the calendar for its elite marathoners hoping to qualify for the L.A. Olympics marathon trials in the fall of 2027. Last year it snowed mid-race, but this year is looking warmer than ideal given the season, with sunny skies, almost no wind, and temps forecast to be 11˚ at the start and rising to 19˚ by the time the winners are finishing. NHK is broadcasting Osaka with a heavy emphasis on the men's race, and if you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it from overseas. There's also official streaming on Youtube starting at 8:30 a.m. local time, although it doesn't look like it's the same as what NHK will be showing. Given Osaka's history at the elite level as the continuation of the men-only Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, the women's field is small relative to the men's, just enough to tick World Athletics' label requirements and with almost no do...
1 comment
Read more

Arao Becomes 1st Man in 40 Years to Score Back-to-Back Ome Road Race Wins

30 km is an under-appreciated distance, and both of Japan's big races at that distance happened Sunday. At the Ome Road Race in western Tokyo's mountains, Sydney Marathon 6th-placer Masato Arao (ND Software) became the first man since the great Kunimitsu Ito in 1985-1986 to win back-to-back years. Arao, who finished 39th of 40 on his leg at the New Year Ekiden last month, stayed in the pack through 20 km before going on the attack, putting over a minute on New Year Ekiden Sixth Stage CR breaker Yudai Shimazu (GMO). Sub-1:31 winning times are rare on the tough and hilly Ome course, but Arao's 1:30:54 almost equaled his 1:30:50 from last year, making him the first Japanese man ever to do it twice and second only to CR holder Ezekiel Cheboitibin . Next up Arao races the Tokyo Marathon, where he is targeting sub-2:06. Shimazu was 2nd in 1:31:58 and Yuta Nakayama (JR Higashi Nihon) 3rd in 1:32:07. Cheboitibin was only 9th, running almost 8 minutes off his CR in 1:36:42. Shi...
3 comments
Read more