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Chepyego, Wellings and Ohara Lead Sanyo Women's Road Race Elite Field

http://www.sanyonews.jp/article/265824/1/

translated and edited by Brett Larner

The elite field for the 34th Sanyo Women's Road Race on Dec. 23 was announced on Nov. 30.  The first selection race for next March's Cardiff World Half Marathon Championships in the U.K., Sanyo features world-class talent like 2014 Copenhagen World Half Marathon bronze medalist and Sanyo course record holder Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko), 2015 Marugame Half Marathon winner Eloise Wellings (Australia), 2015 Beijing World Championships 10000 m runner Rei Ohara (Team Tenmaya) and more. 

A large number of women aiming to make next year's Rio Olympic team will be lining up in the half marathon.  Alongside Ohara are 2014 Asian Games marathon 4th-placer Eri Hayakawa (Team Toto), 2014 World Half Marathon Championships team members Sayo Nomura (Team Daiichi Seimei) and Chieko Kido (Team Canon AC Kyushu), and rising young talent like 2015 Hokkaido Marathon winner Yui Okada (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) and 20-year-old Reia Iwade (Team Noritz) who two years ago set the junior national record of 1:09:45 in Sanyo.  Charlotte Purdue (U.K.) joins Chepyego and Wellings in the overseas contingent.

In the 10 km Grace Kimanzi (Kenya/Team Starts) will be going for the first three-peat in Sanyo history.  Speed runner Kumi Ogura (Team Toenec), 2013's 5th-placer Kanayo Miyata (Team Yutaka Giken) and rookie Honami Maeda (Team Tenmaya) highlight the domestic field.

The Sanyo Women's Road Race will take place on the streets of Okayama.  Due to construction at its traditional start and finish site at City Light Stadium, this time the start and finish will be outside the stadium.  The half marathon begins at 10:00 a.m. on Dec. 23 with the 10 km beginning at 10:15 a.m.
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