Yoshitomi and Matsumura Lead Osaka Marathon Elite Field

One of the world's ten biggest marathons with nearly 30,000 finishers, his year's Osaka Marathon takes place Nov. 25. At the elite level Osaka has carved an interesting place for itself as a sort of unofficial amateur Japanese women's national championships, with just about all of Japan's sub-2:40 amateur women entered. 2017 winner Yumiko Kinoshita (Tokyo T&F Assoc.) leads 6 of last year's top 7 including Mitsuko Ino (Linkstyle), who finished just 1 second behind Kinoshita in the last edition, and 2016 Osaka winner Yoshiko Sakamoto (F.O.R.). But they have serious competition ahead of them this time in the form of quasi-corporate leaguer Hiroko Yoshitomi (Memolead), fresh from a 2:30:09 PB and CR win at the Nov. 11 Fukuoka Marathon, and 2:31:09 Moroccan Soud Kanbouchia. First-timer Felista Wambui (Kenya) is a wildcard. The high-volume racer Yoshitomi is the heavy favorite, the only question really being whether she can finally break 2:30 for the first time.

The men's side of the equation has more of an international contingent, featuring three Kenyans led by 2018 Copenhagen Marathon winner William Morwabe, and Moroccan Abdenasir Fathi. But as in the women's race the #1 seed is a Japanese runner, in this case 2014 Incheon Asian Games silver medalist Kohei Matsumura (MHPS). Matsumura has had a rough time since then, but a 2:11:04 at last year's Lake Biwa suggest he's heading back in the right direction. His strongest domestic competitors are 2017 Osaka runner-up Hideyuki Ikegami (Aminosaurus) and 2016 Katsuta Marathon course record-setter Shingo Igarashi (Josai Univ. Staff).

2018 Osaka Marathon Elite Field Highlights

Osaka, 11/25/18
detailed field listing
times listed are best within last 3 years except where noted

Women
Hiroko Yoshitomi (Japan/Memolead) - 2:30:09 (Fukuoka 2018)
Soud Kanbouchia (Morocco) - 2:31:09 (Daegu 2017)
Yumiko Kinoshita (Japan/Tokyo T&F Assoc.) - 2:34:38 (Osaka 2017)
Mitsuko Ino (Japan/Linkstyle) - 2:34:39 (Osaka 2017)
Yoshiko Sakamoto (Japan/F.O.R.) - 2:35:40 (Tokyo 2018)
Hisae Yoshimatsu (Japan/Shunan City Hall) - 2:36:02
Azusa Nojiri (Japan/NikoA) - 2:36:53 (Osaka 2017)
Haruka Yamaguchi (Japan/AC Kita) - 2:38:18 (Beppu-Oita 2018)
Kie Watanabe (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:40:23 (Shizuoka 2018)
Minami Nakashima (Japan/Kansai Gaikokugo Univ.) - 2:43:16 (Tokyo 2018)

Felista Wambui (Kenya) - debut - 1:13:51 (Niigata Half 2017)

Men
Kohei Matsumura (Japan/MHPS) - 2:11:04 (Lake Biwa 2017)
William Morwabe (Kenya) - 2:11:15 (Copenhagen 2018)
Julius Wahome (Kenya) - 2:12:05 (Chongqing 2016)
Charles Munyeki (Kenya) - 2:12:55 (Warsaw 2016)
Hideyuki Ikegami (Japan/Aminosaurus) - 2:13:41 (Osaka 2017)
Shingo Igarashi (Japan/Josai Univ. Staff) - 2:13:15 (Katsuta 2016)
Abdenasir Fathi (Morocco) - 2:14:33 (Rabat 2017)
Sho Matsumoto (Japan/Nikkei Business) - 2:15:50 (Osaka 2016)
Ahihiro Kaneko (Japan/Comody Iida) - 2:18:26 (Tsukuba 2017)

© 2018 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Kobe Marathon Elite Field

Sunday's Kobe Marathon has announced its elite fields, finally. Japanese athletes have a shot at qualifying for next fall's MGC Race, the official trials race for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, if they go sub-2:27 for the first Japanese woman across the line or sub-2:09 for the first 3 Japanese men to do it. There aren't a lot of contenders to pull it off. On the women's side, Kaede Hagitani , Ayaka Shimoyamada and Kotomi Tsubokura all ran 2:31-32 PBs in the spring and will need to step it up a couple of notches to get there. 2:23 Kenyan Antonina Kwambai is perfectly positioned to help. On the men's side, Keijiro Mogi is closest with a 2:09:06 at last year's Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, Hiroto Kanamori his closest domestic competition with a 2:10:01 PB in Osaka in February. The international trio of last year's winner Barnaba Kipkoech , Elisha Rotich and Goitom Kifle all have recent 2:06-7 times and should help set it up for someone to get there, wh...

Kenyan Graduate Student Athlete Posts Job Hunt for Ekiden Team on Twitter

A Kenyan runner who had tried to help lead his team to the Hakone Ekiden has taken an unusual approach to finding a post-graduation sponsor. Last week Patrick Kamau posted his job hunt on his Twitter account , saying, "I am looking for a club team or a corporate team where I can run in ekidens. I would be happy to run for any team that gave me a chance. I would be grateful for any opportunity and take it on with a positive attitude!" Kamau was 5th at the Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai qualifying race half marathon in 1:01:10 last year during his 4th year at Jobu University . But despite his efforts, Jobu never qualified for Hakone during his 4 years there. He is currently working on a graduate degree while looking for "a team that will let me continue my competitive career." Fans responded to Kamau's job search posting, saying, "I hope it works out for you!" "Good luck comes to those who work hard" and "Kamau is going to graduate school? Given...

Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Elite Field (updated)

Another big race on the MGC qualifying calendar has posted its elite fields, the Dec. 6 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon . It looks like a good race for the single MGC spot up for women under 2:27, and the 6 spots for men sub-2:09. Yuka Ando is the favorite in the women's race with a 2:21:18 in Nagoya 2 years ago, with her only real competition coming from Ayumi Morita , who broke 2:27 in Hofu last year but missed qualifying by not being the first Japanese woman across the line. CR holder Workneh Derese is back after his 2:06:58 win last year, leading Kenyan veteran Bedan Karoki and 4 Japanese men with a solid chance at sub-2:09, Tatsuya Maruyama , Ryoma Takeuchi , Shuho Dairokuno and Kento Nishi . Takeuchi set his 2:08:20 PB at Gold Coast in July, and Dairokuno is fresh off a great run at the final Kyushu Corporate Ekiden. Masatoshi Sakata , Yota Ifuku , Madoka Tanihara and Daiji Kawai have both come close to sub-2:09 in recent races and could factor in. 57th Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Elite...

japan running news

Search This Blog