Five Japanese men took on two of Europe's main marathons Sunday.
At the Huawei Venice Marathon runners battled strong headwinds the entire way, winds that combined with high tide to seriously flood the last three kilometers of the course through Venice proper. After breaking away from a Kenyan trio coming onto the long bridge into Venice winner Gebre Mekuant Ayenew (Ethiopia) paused, slowing to a walk and almost stopping at the end of the first of the fourteen bridges that punctuate the Venice course when he found waves breaking across the course ahead of him. Gebre lost over a minute on his projected time slogging through the water to win in 2:13:23.
Women's winner Angela Jemesunde Tanui (Kenya) lost even more time as the water continued to rise, dropping off a steady sub-2:27 pace to finish in 2:31:30. Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't), expected to challenge Gebre for the win, fell off the pace after only 5 km and, looking heavy and tight, slowed the rest of the way to finish in a career worst 2:27:43. "I don't know what happened," he told media post-race. "My last tuneup was good, and I have no idea why I couldn't run today."
Futher north in Germany, sub-2:10 men Hiroyuki Yamamoto (Konica Minolta), Tadashi Isshiki (GMO) and Akinobu Murasawa (Nissin Shokuhin), and 2:13:53 runner Yuki Munakata (Kanebo) faced similarly windy but colder conditions at the Frankfurt Marathon. Yamamoto, returning from injury, dropped out after only 15 km. Isshiki, who needed to run low-2:12 to qualify for the MGC Race 2020 Olympic trials, ran 2:14:49 for 17th with Murasawa next in 2:15:41. Munkata had the best day of the four, running close to his PB in 2:14:32 to take 15th overall. Kelkile Gezahegn Woldaregay (Ethiopia) won in 2:06:37, with Meskerem Assefa Wondimagegn (Ethiopia) winning an amazingly deep women's race in 2:20:36.
Frankfurt Marathon
Frankfurt, Germany, 10/28/18complete results
Men
1. Kelkile Gezahegn Woldaregay (Ethiopia) - 2:06:37
2. Martin Kiprugut Kosgey (Kenya) - 2:06:41
3. Alex Kibet (Kenya) - 2:07:09
4. Amos Kiplimo Mitei (Kenya) - 2:07:28
5. Kenneth Keter (Kenya) - 2:07:34
-----
15. Yuki Munakata (Japan/Kanebo) - 2:14:32
17. Tadashi Isshiki (Japan/GMO) - 2:14:49
18. Akinobu Murasawa (Japan/Nissin Shokuhin) - 2:15:41
-----
DNF - Hiroyuki Yamamoto (Japan/Konica Minolta)
Women
1. Meskerem Assefa Wondimagegn (Ethiopia) - 2:20:36
2. Haftamnesh Tesfay Haylu (Ethiopia) - 2:20:47
3. Bedatu Hirpa Badane (Ethiopia) - 2:21:32
4. Belaynesh Oljira Jemama (Ethiopia) - 2:21:53
5. Dera Dida Yami (Ethiopia) - 2:22:39
Venice Marathon
Venice, Italy, 10/28/18complete results
Men
1. Gebre Mekuant Ayenew (Ethiopia) - 2:13:23
2. Gilbert Kipleting Chumba (Kenya) - 2:13:52
3. Stephen Kiplimo (Kenya) - 2:13:58
4. Philip Cheruiyot Kangogo (Kenya) - 2:14:07
5. Vincent Kiplagat Kiptoo (Kenya) - 2:17:35
6. John Kipchirchir Komen (Kenya) - 2:19:47
7. Yuki Kawauchi (Japan/Saitama Pref. Gov't) - 2:27:43
8. James Kimat Ebenyo (Kenya) - 2:32:00
Women
1. Angela Jemesunde Tanui (Kenya) - 2:31:30
2. Amente Sorome Negash (Ethiopia) - 2:38:59
3. Euliter Jepchirchir Tanui (Kenya) - 2:40:56
4. Brendah Kebeya (Kenya) - 2:44:26
5. Nikolina Sustic (Croatia) - 2:50:18
text and photo © 2018 Brett Larner
Comments