Skip to main content

Weekend Overseas Race Results



Two weeks after running 2:32:30 at the Tokyo Marathon and a week after a 2:34:49 in Nagoya, Hiroko Yoshitomi (Memolead) ran Taiwan's Wan Jin Shi Marathon. Hoping to break the 2:34:53 course record, Yoshitomi led the lead pack of six women through most of the first half. But nearing the turnaround point she faded, leaving eventual winner Naomi Jepkosgei Maiyo (Kenya) to claim the win in a new course record time of 2:34:08. Runner-up Meseret Gola Sisay (Ethiopia) was also under the old course record, just, in 2:34:51. Yoshitomi fell off pace to take 6th in 2:48:45. The course record also fell in the men's race, with winner Matthew Kipsaat (Kenya) negative splitting a 2:11:17 for the win. Kipsaat was the only runner to go under the old course record of 2:13:05.

Eriko Kushima (Noritz) was faster than Yoshitomi at the Seoul Marathon, running 2:40:55 for 10th. Kazuki Takeshita (SDF) ran 2:14:14 for 12th in the men's race, the best time by a Japanese man outside Japan so far this year.



Twelve time zones away, Ken Nakayama ran his final race in the Chuo University uniform at the United Airlines NYC Half. Running in the main pack throughout the first half of the race, Nakayama experienced some twinges in his right thigh on the downhill off the Williamsburg Bridge and began to lose touch. In the hills of the final 5 km he felt increasing discomfort in his thigh and slowed to finish 19th in 1:05:48, more than four minutes off his best. Belay Tilahun (Ethiopian) won the race up front, running down early breakaway leader Daniel Mesfun (Eritrea) and favorite Paul Chelimo (U.S.A.) for the win in 1:02:10. Women's world record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) pulled away after a slow first 5 km to win by a minute in 1:10:07.

United Airlines NYC Half

New York, U.S.A., 3/17/19

Women
1. Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) - 1:10:07
2. Mary Ngugi (Kenya) - 1:11:07
3. Buze Diriba (Ethiopia) - 1:11:07
4. Emma Bates (U.S.A.) - 1:11:33
5. Des Linden (U.S.A.) - 1:11:22
6. Birtukan Fente Alemu (Ethiopia) - 1:12:17

Men
1. Belay Tilahun (Ethiopia) - 1:02:10
2. Daniel Mesfun (Eritrea) - 1:02:16
3. Paul Chelimo (U.S.A.) - 1:02:19 - debut
4. Jared Ward (U.S.A.) - 1:02:33
5. Noah Droddy (U.S.A.) - 1:02:39
6. Brogan Austin (U.S.A.) - 1:02:41
-----
20. Ken Nakayama (Japan/Chuo Univ.) - 1:05:48

New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi Marathon

New Taipei City, Taiwan, 3/17/19
complete results

Women
1. Naomi Jepkosgei Maiyo (Kenya) - 2:34:08 - CR
2. Meseret Gola Sisay (Ethiopia) - 2:34:51
3. Ednah Mukhwana (Kenya) - 2:36:01
4. Sorome Negash Amente (Ethiopia) - 2:36:11
5. Nancy Jebet Koech (Kenya) - 2:38:21
6. Hiroko Yoshitomi (Japan/Memolead) - 2:48:45

Men
1. Matthew Kipsaat (Kenya) - 2:11:17 - CR
2. Philip Cheruiyot Kangogo (Kenya) - 2:13:57
3. Alex Chepkwik Saekwo (Kenya) - 2:15:18
4. Abraham Girma Bekele (Ethiopia) - 2:16:12
5. Willy Kiplangat Ngelel (Kenya) - 2:19:37
6. Mike Kiprotich Mutai (Kenya) - 2:25:32

Seoul Marathon

Seoul, South Korea, 3/17/19

Women
1. Desi Jisa Mokonin (Bahrain) - 2:23:44
2. Hirut Tibebu (Ethiopia) - 2:24:05
3. Celestine Chepchirchir (Kenya) - 2:24:48
4. Zinash Mekonnen (Ethiopia) - 2:25:42
5. Mercy Kibarus (Kenya) - 2:27:20
6. Seul-ki Ahn (South Korea) - 2:27:28
-----
10. Eriko Kushima (Noritz) - 2:40:55

Men
1. Thomas Kiplagat (Kenya) - 2:06:00
2. Elisha Rotich (Kenya) - 2:06:12
3. Mike Kiptum (Kenya) - 2:06:22
4. Fikre Bekele (Ethiopia) - 2:06:27
5. Robert Kipkemboi (Kenya) - 2:07:09
6. Tariku Kinfu (Ethiopia) - 2:09:06
-----
12. Kazuki Takeshita (SDF) - 2:14:14
13. Saeki Makino (DNPL) - 2:14:36

© 2019 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Buy Me A Coffee

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Measuring Marathon Courses by Bicycle

http://news.searchina.ne.jp/disp.cgi?y=2013&d=0110&f=column_0110_034.shtml translated by Brett Larner The full marathon is a sport where you compete over 42.195 km, but how do they go about measuring that distance?  Today we're going to look a little bit at how they go about certifying the distance of a marathon. The reality is that major international marathons use a bicycle to measure the distance.  This rule is an international standard, and the same method of measurement is used everywhere.  It was put into place in 1986.  In order to ensure that the same method is used everywhere, a bicycle that meets IAAF specifications must be used for measurement. In the case of Japan's major marathons, to be certain that the distance is correct a provisional measurement is first made.  Before the course is certified using a bicycle the course is measured using a 50 m-long length of wire to determine that it is in fact 42.195 km.  When a bicycle is u...

Ai Hosoda Announces Retirement

photo © 2025 Victah Sailer/Photo Run, all rights reserved On Jan. 8 the Edion women's corporate team announced that Ai Hosoda , 30, will retire at the end of March this year. The Tokyo Marathon will be her last race. At Nagano Higashi H.S. Hosoda ran in the National High School Ekiden her 2nd and 3rd years. During her 3rd year at Nittai University she won both the 5000 m and 10000 m at the Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships, going on to win the bronze medal in the 10000 m at the World University Games in her 4th year at Nittai. After graduating she joined the Daihatsu corporate team, debuting at the 2019 Nagoya Women's Marathon in 2:29:27. 2 years later she transferred to Edion. She qualified for the Paris Olympics marathon trials at the 2022 Nagoya Women's Marathon and finished 3rd in the trials in the fall of 2023, but was later bumped down to Olympic alternate after another athlete ran a faster time. Instead of the Olympics, Hosoda ran the 2024 Ber...

Nat'l University Ekiden Updates Here

Looks like I just went over my update limit on Twitter - sorry, it's the first time I've tried to use it for this. I'll look for another option next time. In the meantime I'll add updates to the comments below. Not sure if that has a max too but I guess we'll find out. Update: Part one of the Nationals commentary can be found here .