Weekend Overseas Japanese Results

Japanese men lined up at three major overseas races Sunday. At the Netherlands' Eindhoven Marathon, 2:07:39 marathoner Masato Imai (Toyota Kyushu), coached by 1992 Barcelona Olympics marathon silver medalist Koichi Morishita, was ranked 3rd in the field on PB but ran only 2:17:00 for 10th after fading from the lead pack early in the second half.

At Boston's B.A.A. Half the race was hurt by the late withdrawal of aggressive sub-61 half marathoner Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) with illness. In his absence Suguru Osako (NOP) and Shogo Nakamura (Fujitsu), the latter a former teammate of Murayama's at Komazawa University, sat in the lead pack throughout the race without exerting pressure despite a very slow pace. Two-time defending champ Daniel Salel (Kenya) made it three in a row, easily outkicking Osako to win in 1:04:31, Osako next across the line in 1:04:42 and Nakamura 4th in 1:04:50. Two other Japanese men were non-factors, Ken Yokote (Fujitsu) 7th in 1:05:57 and Yudai Okamoto (JFE Steel) 33rd in 1:18:21.

At the Chicago Marathon, 2014 Asian Games silver medalist Kohei Matsumura (MHPS) was the top Japanese finisher at 6th in 2:11:48. Fading from the lead pack after 25 km, Matsumura was caught by sub-61 half marathoner Chihiro Miyawaki (Toyota), who pulled Matsumura back into the lead pack just before last year's winner Abel Kirui (Kenya) made the move that opened the race up after a slow 1:06:10 first half. Matsumura was one of eight men up front to negative split the race, with Miyawaki fading to 11th in 2:13:23. Ryoichi Matsuo (Asahi Kasei) was 18th in 2:15:50.

Elsewhere, Teppei Suegami won the Portland Marathon in 2:23:43, with Mai Fujisawa 3rd in the women's race in 2:58:41.

Eindhoven Marathon
Eindhoven, Netherlands, 10/8/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Festus Talam (Kenya) - 2:06:13
2. Felix Kiptoo Kirwa (Kenya) - 2:06:13
3. Marius Kipserem (Kenya) - 2:06:43
4. Dejene Debela Gonfe (Ethiopia) - 2:07:10
5. Cosmas Jairus Kipchoge (Kenya) - 2:08:45
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10. Masato Imai (Japan/Toyota Kyushu) - 2:17:00

B.A.A. Half Marathon
Boston, U.S.A., 10/8/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Daniel Salel (Kenya) - 1:04:31
2. Suguru Osako (Japan/NOP) - 1:04:42
3. Tesfaalem Gebrearegawi (Ethiopia) - 1:04:46
4. Shogo Nakamura (Japan/Fujitsu) - 1:04:50
5. Abdi Abdirahman (U.S.A.) - 1:05:11
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7. Ken Yokote (Japan/Fujitsu) - 1:05:57
33. Yudai Okamoto (Japan/JFE Steel) - 1:18:21

Chicago Marathon
Chicago, U.S.A., 10/8/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Galen Rupp (U.S.A.) - 2:09:20 - PB
2. Abel Kirui (Kenya) - 2:09:48
3. Bernard Kipyego (Kenya) - 2:10:23
4. Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) - 2:11:01
5. Stephen Sambu (Kenya) - 2:11:07 - PB
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6. Kohei Matsumura (Japan/MHPS) - 2:11:48
11. Chihiro Miyawaki (Japan/Toyota) - 2:13:23
18. Ryoichi Matsuo (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 2:15:50

Portland Marathon
Portland, U.S.A., 10/8/17
click here for complete results

Men
1. Teppei Suegami (Japan) - 2:23:43
2. Donovan Fellows (U.S.A.) - 2:24:05
3. Justin Banks (U.S.A.) - 2:34:47

Women
1. Allison Goldstein (U.S.A.) - 2:50:26
2. Moira O'Connor (U.S.A.) - 2:57:57
3. Mai Fujisawa (Japan) - 2:58:41

Miyawaki photo © 2017 Dr. Helmut Winter, all rights reserved
text © 2017 Brett Larner, all rights reserved