Maeda, Ohara Purdue and Bulo Lead Dec. 23 Sanyo Ladies Road Race

The organizers of the Sanyo Ladies Road Race have announced the elite fields for this year's 36th running on Dec. 23, a selection race for the women's national team for next March's World Half Marathon Championships in Spain. Honami Maeda (21, Tenmaya), winner of August's Hokkaido Marathon, and London World Championships team members Miyuki Uehara (22, Daiichi Seimei) and Mao Kiyota (24, Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) lead the list of young hopefuls for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic team who will grace Okayama's streets.

All three will run the half marathon, where they will face last year's winner Rei Ohara (Tenmaya). Also entered are 2015 Beijing World Championships 5000 m team member Azusa Sumi (21, Univ. Ent.), Ayaka Fujimoto (20, Kyocera) who earlier this year ran 2:27:08 at the Tokyo Marathon to become Japan's fastest-ever teen marathoner, and 2017 World XC Championships team member Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal). London World Championships marathon 13th-placer Charlotte Purdue (Great Britain) adds high-level international flair to the race.

Mai Nishiwaki (Tenmaya) leads the 10 km field fresh off a scintillating run at last month's National Corporate Women's Ekiden, challenged by this year's National Championships 10000 m 5th-placer Yuka Hori (Panasonic) and last year's 4th-placer Kanayo Miyata (Yutaka Giken). Sub-15 minute 5000 m runner Shuru Bulo (Toto) will force the others to respond to her African speed from the start.

The races start and finish at City Light Stadium in Okayama. Both are IAAF-certified courses. The half marathon begins at 10:00 with the 10 km starting at 10:15.

source article: http://www.sanyonews.jp/sp/article/635028
translated by Brett Larner