Skip to main content

Krifchin and Lemciyeh Win Kobe Marathon

The Kobe Marathon held its 7th running on Nov. 19.  19,709 runners took part in this year's race, with 600,000 people cheering them on along the course between the start at Kobe City Hall and the finish in the Kobe Harbor area which this year celebrates its 150th anniversary. American Maegan Krifchin, 29, won the women's race in a course record time of 2:33:14. Khalil Lemciyeh of Morocco also broke the men's course record, winning in 2:12:49.

The Kobe Marathon is organized by the Hyogo Prefectural Government and the City of Kobe. 7,500 volunteers helped runners over the course of the three days of race weekend. This year the turnaround point moved 1.25 km to the west, taking runners under Akashi Kaikyo Bridge for the first time. The final section of the course on Port Island was shortened to make up the distance. At noon at the finish area temperatures were 12 degrees with 65% humidity. 18,949 people finished the race.

At the starting ceremony in front of City Hall, a moment of silence was held for the victims of disasters including the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the East Japan Earthquake, and the Kumamoto Earthquake. Elementary school students from Sendai and high schoolers from Kobe pledged to "choose happiness" in their lives. Wearing yellow gloves representing the sunflower, the symbol of reconstruction, the entire field of runners raised both hands above their heads into the clear blue sky.

source article: 
https://www.kobe-np.co.jp/rentoku/kobemarathon/news/201711/0010747135.shtml
translated and edited by Brett Larner
photos © 2017 Cameron Hart, all rights reserved

7th Kobe Marathon

Kobe, Hyogo, 11/19/17

Women
1. Maegan Krifchin (U.S.A.) - 2:33:14 - CR, PB
2. Sana Achahbar (Morocco) - 2:35:34
3. Simegn Yeshanbel (Ethiopia) - 2:40:41
4. Mizuha Otaru (Japan/Kobe Gakuin Univ.) - 2:40:41
5. Kana Unno (Japan/Noritz) - 2:44:07
6. Linda Spencer (Australia) - 2:46:28
7. Masa Shimizu (Japan/Amagasaki T&F Assoc.) - 2:48:54
8. Ai Ogo (Japan/Himeji T&F Assoc.) - 2:49:32

Men
1. Khalil Lemciyeh (Morocco) - 2:12:49 - CR
2. Cosmas Kyeba (Kenya) - 2:14:24
3. Michael Chege (Kenya) - 2:16:08
4. Saidi Makula (Tanzania) - 2:16:32
5. Junji Katakawa (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:18:32
6. Manabu Yamada (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:19:15
7. Osamu Matsuyama (Japan/Univer SC) - 2:23:07
8. Yoshiki Kawauchi (Japan/Jaybird) - 2:23:14

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...

Hakone Ekiden Qualifying Race Entry Roster Sizes Increased from 14 to 16

Hakone Ekiden organizers KGRR have announced details for the qualifying half marathon for next year's 103rd Hakone Ekiden. The Yosenkai qualifying race will be held Oct. 17 in Tachikawa, Tokyo. The combined times of the 10 fastest finishers from each participating team will be used for team scoring, with the 10 fastest teams going on the the main event next January and top-placing individuals from teams that do not qualify being names to the Kanto Region Student Alliance select team. One change from previous years is that the number of runners each school can enter has been increased from 14 to 16. Teams will still only be allowed to have from 10 to 12 athletes on the starting line, but the move gives coaches greater flexibility in making the final decision on their starting rosters. No changes have been made to the qualifying times of 34:00 for 10000 m or 1:13:00 for the half marathon, and the new earlier starting time of 8:30 a.m. introduced last year in an effort to mitigate ...

Nomura and Odagiri Go 3-4 at Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km

2010 Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km Nijmegen, Netherlands, 11/21/10 Women click here for complete women's results 1. Genet Getaneh (Ethiopia) - 47:53 2. Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) - 48:07 3. Sayo Nomura (Meijo Univ.) - 49:43 4. Aki Odagiri (Meijo Univ.) - 51:37 5. Benita Willis (Australia) - 51:51 Men click here for complete men's results 1. Leonard Patrick Komon (Kenya) - 41:13 - WR 2. Abera Kuma (Ethiopia) - 42:01 3. Ayele Abshiro (Ethiopia) - 42:01 4. Abraham Kiplimo (Uganda) - 43:03 5. Berhanu Delale (Ethiopia) - 43:08 ----- 14. Kazuya Watanabe (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 45:31