Nagano Marathon Elite Field

Japanese marathoners who haven't qualified for the Sept. 15 MGC Race 2020 Olympic marathon trials have until Apr. 30 to try to squeeze out one more fast time to make the grade, sub-2:08:30 or two races inside the window averaging under 2:11:00, and sub-2:24:00 or a sub-2:28:00 average for women. Most of the people trying one last time will be headed overseas, but for a few the Nagano Marathon is their last chance to make it.

Asuka Tanaka (Hiramatsu Byoin) is the fastest man in the field with a 2:10:13 in Tokyo last year as an amateur runner. A stress fracture later in the year left him struggling in his few races since then, but after a tentative step back at Tokyo this year he is shooting for the 2:11:47 he needs in Nagano to make the cut. Shoya Osaki (Chudenko) ran a strong 2:10:48 in Beppu-Oita this favorite and will be trying to double back with a 2:11:12 in Nagano.

They're the only two people male or female who might realistically make it, the rest of the field for the most part positioned at the 2:11 to 2:13 level. 40-year-old Kenyan Alfred Kering leads the international contingent with a 2:10:27 in Lisbon three years ago, while 23-year-old Ethiopian Deresa Geleta is the freshest with a 2:12:33 in Beirut last year. Past Hakone Ekiden Fifth Stage winner Daniel Muiva Kitonyi (Kanebo), now coached by former marathon national record holder Toshinari Takaoka, will be making his debut.

No women in what looks to be a low-to-mid-2:30 race are likely to make the MGC cutoff. Kenyan Valentine Kipketer leads the list with a 2:23:41 in Chicago 2016, but since then she has been just over 2:30 and in range of the rest of the field. Serial marathoner Hiroko Yoshitomi (Memolead) is next, her PB of 2:30:09 coming at last fall's Fukuoka Marathon. Like Deresa in the men's race, 19-year-old Ethiopian Kebene Chala may be the best bet for a breakthrough victory following a 2:30:49 win in Nanjing last year.

21st Nagano Marathon Elite Field Highlights

Nagano, 4/21/19

times listed are best in last 3 years except where noted

complete field listing

Men

Asuka Tanaka (Japan/Hiramatsu Byoin) - 2:10:13 (Tokyo 2018)

Alfred Kering (Kenya) - 2:10:27 (Lisbon 2016)

Shoya Osaki (Japan/Chudenko) - 2:10:48 (Beppu-Oita 2019)

Taiga Ito (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:10:52 (Beppu-Oita 2017)

Tatsunori Hamasaki (Japan/Nanji AC) - 2:11:26 (Hofu 2017)

Ezekiel Jafary (Tanzania) - 2:11:55 (Hannover 2017)

Dejene Kelkilew (Ethiopia) - 2:12:09 (Cannes 2017)

Tadashi Suzuki (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 2:12:09 (Shizuoka 2017)

Deresa Geleta (Ethiopia) - 2:12:33 (Beirut 2018)

Jackson Kiprop (Uganda) - 2:12:45 (Amsterdam 2017)

Daniel Muiva Kitonyi (Kenya/Kanebo) - debut - 1:02:05 (Nat'l Corp Half 2017)

Women

Valentine Kipketer (Kenya) - 2:23:41 (Chicago 2016)

Hiroko Yoshitomi (Japan/Memolead) - 2:30:09 (Fukuoka 2018)

Kebene Chala (Ethiopia) - 2:30:49 (Nanjing 2018)

Pauline Wangui (Kenya) - 2:30:49 (Seville 2017)

Tizita Terecha (Ethiopia) - 2:31:45 (Ljubljana 2016)

Meskerem Hunde (Ethiopia) - 2:33:50 (Porto 2018)

Yumiko Kinoshita (Japan/unattached) - 2:34:19 (Osaka Int'l 2019)

Kaho Tanaka (Japan/Daiichi Seimei) - 2:34:45 (Hokkaido 2017)

Kasumi Yoshida (Japan/Nitori) - 2:35:31 (Osaka 2018)

Aki Otagiri (Japan/Takemura Seisakusho) - 2:41:26 (Nagano 2017)

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...

Hakone Ekiden Qualifying Race Entry Roster Sizes Increased from 14 to 16

Hakone Ekiden organizers KGRR have announced details for the qualifying half marathon for next year's 103rd Hakone Ekiden. The Yosenkai qualifying race will be held Oct. 17 in Tachikawa, Tokyo. The combined times of the 10 fastest finishers from each participating team will be used for team scoring, with the 10 fastest teams going on the the main event next January and top-placing individuals from teams that do not qualify being names to the Kanto Region Student Alliance select team. One change from previous years is that the number of runners each school can enter has been increased from 14 to 16. Teams will still only be allowed to have from 10 to 12 athletes on the starting line, but the move gives coaches greater flexibility in making the final decision on their starting rosters. No changes have been made to the qualifying times of 34:00 for 10000 m or 1:13:00 for the half marathon, and the new earlier starting time of 8:30 a.m. introduced last year in an effort to mitigate ...

Nomura and Odagiri Go 3-4 at Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km

2010 Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km Nijmegen, Netherlands, 11/21/10 Women click here for complete women's results 1. Genet Getaneh (Ethiopia) - 47:53 2. Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) - 48:07 3. Sayo Nomura (Meijo Univ.) - 49:43 4. Aki Odagiri (Meijo Univ.) - 51:37 5. Benita Willis (Australia) - 51:51 Men click here for complete men's results 1. Leonard Patrick Komon (Kenya) - 41:13 - WR 2. Abera Kuma (Ethiopia) - 42:01 3. Ayele Abshiro (Ethiopia) - 42:01 4. Abraham Kiplimo (Uganda) - 43:03 5. Berhanu Delale (Ethiopia) - 43:08 ----- 14. Kazuya Watanabe (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 45:31

japan running news

Search This Blog