Boston Marathon Japanese Results

On a day that saw the fastest Boston Marathon men's winning time in 8 years and one of the deepest races in history with ten men under 2:10 including two Americans, the strongest-ever Japanese men's contingent at Boston couldn't live up to the level of the day.

2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medalist Hiroto Inoue lasted the longest, running solidly in the lead pack well into the Newton hills and looking comfortable until he didn't. Inoue ended up 12th in 2:11:53, just missing a top 10 placing that would have put him clear of the 2020 Olympic qualifying standards ahead of September's MGC Race Olympic trials.

Defending champ Yuki Kawauchi fell off early, dropping at one point to 5th among the five elite Japanese men in the field but rallying late in the race to take 17th in 2:15:29, 29 seconds faster than his winning time last year. Kawauchi ran down Hayato Sonoda in the home straight, Sonoda next across the line behind him in 2:15:58.

Masao Kizu was aiming for a top 8 finish and lasted longer than Kawauchi in the lead group, but struggling badly in the hills he ended up 24th in 2:17:43, just bettering his PB. Hiroki Kai started slower than the rest of the Japanese men but briefly overtook Kawauchi mid-race before dropping back to 28th in 2:19:31.

No top-level Japanese women were in the race, which Ethiopian Worknesh Degefa won via some bold frontrunning despite past winner Edna Kiplagat's best efforts to run her down. Nami Hashimoto was the top-placing Japanese woman at 28th in 2:40:41, with club runner Kaoru Nagao not far back at 33rd in 2:42:07. Corporate leaguer Nao Isaka went through halfway in 1:22:58 but faded badly over the second half to finish in 3:00:17.

123rd Boston Marathon

Boston, U.S.A., 4/15/19
complete results

Men
1. Lawrence Cherono (Kenya) - 2:07:57
2. Lelisa Desisa (Ethiopia) - 2:07:59
3. Kenneth Kipkemoi (Kenya) - 2:08:07
4. Felix Kandie (Kenya) - 2:08:54
5. Geoffrey Kirui (Kenya) - 2:08:55
6. Philemon Rono (Kenya) - 2:08:57
7. Scott Fauble (U.S.A.) - 2:09:09
8. Jared Ward (U.S.A.) - 2:09:25
9. Festus Talam (Kenya) - 2:09:25
10. Benson Kipruto (Kenya) - 2:09:53
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12. Hiroto Inoue (Japan) - 2:11:53
17. Yuki Kawauchi (Japan) - 2:15:29
18. Hayato Sonoda (Japan) - 2:15:58
24. Masao Kizu (Japan) - 2:17:43
28. Hiroki Kai (Japan) - 2:19:31

Women
1. Worknesh Degefa (Ethiopia) - 2:23:31
2. Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) - 2:24:13
3. Jordan Hasay (U.S.A.) - 2:25:20
4. Meskerem Assefa (Ethiopia) - 2:25:40
5. Desiree Linden (U.S.A.) - 2:27:00
6. Caroline Rotich (Kenya) - 2:28:27
7. Mary Ngugi (Kenya) - 2:28:33
8. Biruktayit Eshetu (Ethiopia) - 2:29:10
9. Lindsay Flanagan (U.S.A.) - 2:30:07
10. Betsy Saina (Kenya) - 2:30:32
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28. Nami Hashimoto (Japan) - 2:40:41
33. Kaoru Nagao (Japan) - 2:42:07
173. Nao Isaka (Japan) - 3:00:17

text and photos © 2019 Brett Larner, all rights reserved