The Nagoya Women's Marathon is the largest women-only marathon in the world, one with a long history as an elite race and adapting to the times with a mass-participation field of 20,000. The last few years it has seen a series of dynamic, high-level performances by top Japanese women, from Sairi Maeda's 2:22:48 in 2015 to the 2:23:19 to 2:23:20 sprint finish battle between Tomomi Tanaka and Rei Ohara in 2016 to Yuka Ando's stellar 2:21:36 debut and teammate Mao Kiyota's 2:23:47 breakthrough last year.
Maeda, Ohara and Kiyota all return this year to face the Kenyan trio of Lucy Kabuu, Valary Jemeli and Flomena Cheyech Daniel. Kabuu went to high school in Japan before moving on to the big leagues, but she hasn't finished a marathon since her 2:20:21 in Dubai 2015. Cheyech also used to be based in Japan as is a familiar face here, winning the last two Saitama International Marathons. Jemeli is making her Japanese debut, and with a 2:21:57 win in Prague and a 2:20:53 for 3rd in Berlin last year she'll arrive as the favorite.
At the next tier the field is thick, with seven women at the 2:24~2:27 level led by Ethiopian Meskerem Assefa and Japan's Reia Iwade. Following up on Ando's mega debut last year, 31:22.92 track runner Hanami Sekine will be making an early debut just a few days after turning 23. Collegiate runner Yomogi Akasaka will also be debuting, as will Ohara's teammate Mizuki Tanimoto. Don't be surprised to see one or more of them in the action.
The Nagoya women's marathon will be broadcast live on Fuji TV starting at 9:00 a.m. local time on March 11. Check back closer to race date for more info on following the race live from abroad.
Nagoya Women's Marathon Elite Field Highlights
Nagoya, 3/11/18times listed are best in last three years except where noted
click here for complete field listing
Lucy Kabuu (Kenya) - 2:20:21 (Dubai 2015)
Valary Jemeli (Kenya) - 2:20:53 (Berin '17)
Flomena Cheyech Daniel (Kenya) - 2:21:22 (Paris 2017)
Sairi Maeda (Japan/Daihatsu) - 2:22:48 (Nagoya 2015)
Rei Ohara (Japan/Tenmaya) - 2:23:20 (Nagoya 2016)
Mao Kiyota (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:23:47 (Nagoya 2017)
Meskerem Assefa (Ethiopia) - 2:24:18 (Rotterdam 2017)
Reia Iwade (Japan/Dome) - 2:24:38 (Nagoya 2016)
Shiho Takechi (Japan/Yamada Denki) - 2:25:29 (Nagoya 2016)
Hanae Tanaka (Japan/Shiseido) - 2:26:19 (Osaka Int'l 2017)
Michi Numata (Japan/Toyota Jidoshokki) - 2:27:27 (Nagoya 2016)
Merima Mohammed (Bahrain) - 2:27:49 (Frankfurt 2017)
Miharu Shimokado (Japan/Nitori) - 2:27:54 (Nagoya 2017)
Misaki Kato (Japan/Kyudenko) - 2:28:12 (Hofu 2017)
Karolina Nadolska (Poland) - 2:28:12 (Lodz 2014)
Keiko Nogami (Japan/Juhachi Ginko) - 2:28:19 (Nagoya 2015)
Kaori Yoshida (Japan/RxL) - 2:28:24 (Nagoya 2017)
Sara Dossena (Italy) - 2:29:39 (New York 2017)
Kikuyo Tsuzaki (Japan/Noritz) - 2:31:33 (Riga 2017)
Hiroko Miyauchi (Japan/Hokuren) - 2:32:40 (Osaka Int'l 2016)
Yuko Mizuguchi (Japan/Denso) - 2:33:20 (Nagoya 2016)
Mei Matsuyama (Japan/Noritz) - 2:34:35 (Nagoya 2016)
Sakie Arai (Japan/Higo Ginko) - 2:34:40 (Osaka Int'l 2017)
Yoko Miyauchi (Japan/Hokuren) - 2:35:09 (Nagoya 2016)
Ayano Ikemitsu (Japan/Kagoshima Ginko) - 2:36:18 (Osaka Int'l 2018)
Yurie Doi (Japan/Fujitsu) - 2:36:28 (Hokkaido 2017)
Mayumi Fujita (Japan/Nagasaki T&F Assoc.) - 2:36:53 (Nagoya 2016)
Debut
Hanami Sekine (Japan/Japan Post) - 31:22.92 (track 10000 m, 2016)
Yomogi Akasaka (Japan/Meijo Univ.) - 1:11:41 (Marugame Half 2016)
Mizuki Tanimoto (Japan/Tenmaya) - 1:12:17 (Nat'l Corp. Half 2017)
Erika Ikeda (Japan/Higo Ginko) - 1:12:38 (Sanyo Women's Half 2015)
© 2018 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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