Skip to main content

London World Championships Marathoner Shigetomo Tunes Up in Hakodate

A month out from the London World Championships, women's marathon team member Risa Shigetomo (Tenmaya) tuned up with her first road race since winning January's Osaka International Women's Marathon, lining up at Hokkaido's Hakodate Half Marathon. Running in the second pack with 2015 winner Asami Kato (Panasonic) and last year's winner Hiroko Miyauchi (Hokuren), Shigetomo took 6th in 1:14:38.

3rd the last two years, Yuko Mizuguchi (Denso) scored the win in 1:13:37 over Reia Iwade (Dome) and Miharu Shimokado (Nitori), both still adjusting to recent team and coaching changes. London team alternate Misato Horie (Noritz) was also in action in Hokkaido later the same day, running 16:21.77 for 10th in the women's 5000 m at the season's first Hokuren Distance Challenge meet in Shibetsu.

In the men's race in Hakodate last year's top three shuffled positions to sweep the podium again. 2nd last year, Charles Ndungu (Komori Corp.) got the better of defending champ Paul Kuira (Konica Minolta) and 2015 winner / last year's 3rd-placer Michael Githae (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) to score his first win in 1:02:40 by just 4 seconds over sub-60 man Kuira. Local boy Masato Kikuchi (Konica Minolta) was the top Japanese man at 4th in 1:04:50.

After moving from a mid-fall to early summer race date, last year Hakodate added a full marathon to its schedule. Participation numbers in the full were down this year, but Shun Imamura (Press Kogyo) took over four minutes off the men's course record to win in 2:22:37. Amateur Asami Kagawa (Asahikawa RC) won the women's race in 3:08:42, 22 minutes slower than last year's winning time.

27th Hakodate Half Marathon

Hakodate, Hokkaido, 7/2/17
click here for complete results

Women's Half Marathon
1. Yuko Mizuguchi (Denso) - 1:13:37
2. Reia Iwade (Dome) - 1:13:50
3. Miharu Shimokado (Nitori) - 1:13:55
4. Asami Kato (Panasonic) - 1:14:13
5. Hiroko Miyauchi (Hokuren) - 1:14:27
6. Risa Shigetomo (Tenmaya) - 1:14:38

Men's Half Marathon
1. Charles Ndungu (Komori Corp.) - 1:02:40
2. Paul Kuira (Konica Minolta) - 1:02:44
3. Michael Githae (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:03:24
4. Masato Kikuchi (Konica Minolta) - 1:04:50
5. Fumihiro Maruyama (Asahi Kasei) - 1:05:04
6. Yuki Oshikawa (Toyota Kyushu) - 1:05:06

Women's Marathon
1. Asami Kagawa (Asahikawa RC) - 3:08:42

Men's Marathon
1. Shun Imamura (Press Kogyo) - 2:22:37 - CR

© 2017 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Keita Sato Joins Swoosh TC

After appearing at a Nike event on Apr. 3, U20 1500 m NR and indoor 3000 m and 5000 m NR holder Keita Sato , 22, updated his Instagram profile to announce that he is joining Nike's Swoosh TC . At the Nike event Sato said that he plans to run the 1500 m at the Apr. 11 Kanaguri Memorial Meet, then will move to the U.S. "To be successful at the global level I need to train and grow alongside world-class athletes," he said. "I have to take every day seriously in order to achieve that dream of being internationally competitive." Swoosh TC was founded last year. Its coach Mike Smith has guided many athletes to international championships, including prior to Swoosh TC's launch, with some earning medals and podium finishes under his leadership. photo © 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved source article: https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/204241/2 translated by Brett Larner

Updates on Transfers

April 1 is the start of Japan's new academic and fiscal year, and there's always a wave of transfer announcements to go with it. Some notable ones yesterday: 800 m NR holder Rin Kubo skipped university to go straight to 2023 Queens Ekiden national champion Sekisui Kagaku after her graduation from Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S. Multiple NR holder Nozomi Tanaka rejoined the Toyota Jidoshokki women's team after having left it to pursue a solo pro career as a New Balance athlete. Already on the team for this fall's Nagoya Asian Games in the 10000 m, Ririka Hironaka announced a switch from her longtime home at Japan Post to the Uniqlo women's team. Collegiate marathon record holder Asahi Kuroda joined the 2026 national champion GMO corporate team after graduating from 2026 Hakone Ekiden champ Aoyama Gakuin University last week. Hakone Ekdien First Stage CR holder Rui Aoki joins the Sumitomo Denko corporate team after running his final race for 2025 Izumo Ekiden w...

Weekend Track Roundup

There were 2 decently competitive meets in the Tokyo area this weekend. Saturday saw the new year's first edition of the Setagaya Time Trials meet. Takuma Akiyoshi took the men's 3000 m A-heat over his MABP Maverick teammate Festus Kiprono Cheruiyot with a 7:58.32 PB. Cheruiyot just held off 3rd-placer Nao Kurihara 7:59.92 to 8:00.02, with MABP runners taking the top 5 spots. The top 7 in the men's 5000 m A-heat all cleared 14 minutes. Still a 6-way race with 400 m to go, Tatsuya Maruyama of Komori Corp. came out on top in 13:48.49, with 5th-placer Kazuki Ishii of Yakult just over a second behind in 13:49.63. Lacking the gear to stay with them, new American marathon sensation Ethan Shuley fell back to 6th in 13:57.12 in his first-ever track 5000 m, holding off 7th-placer Daiki Nomimura of NTT Nishi Nihon who came up from behind to finish in 13:58.30. Sunday was the 59th edition of the Tokyo Big 6 meet between Waseda University , Meiji University , Hosei Univers...