Skip to main content

Nogami and Mutiso Run Fastest Winning Times in a Decade at Sendai International Half

2018 Jakarta Asian Games marathon silver medalist Keiko Nogami (Juhachi Ginko) turned in one of the best performances of her career Sunday, taking almost two minutes off her half marathon best to win the Sendai International Half Marathon in 1:09:27. One of just fifteen women to have qualified for Japan's MGC Race 2020 Olympic marathon trials, Nogami quickly dropped the more accomplished Rei Ohara (Tenmaya), also an MGC qualifier, to run the last 3/4 of the race alone en route to the fastest winning time in Sendai since 2009. Ohara was next in 1:10:25, with 10000 m collegiate record holder Hikari Yoshimoto (Daihatsu) 3rd in a PB of 1:12:39.

Locally-based Kenyan Alexander Mutiso (ND Software) won the men's race with the same kind of margin as Nogami, running 1:01:10 for the win, Sendai's fastest time since 2010. Back on the roads for the first time since his crash-and-burn shot at a 2:04 at March's Tokyo Marathon, Yuki Sato (Nissin Shokuhin) was 2nd in 1:02:30 ahead of Sendai native Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei). Including Sato five MGC qualifiers made the top ten, including Ryo Hashimoto (GMO) in 4th, Daichi Kamino (New Balance) in 7th, Yoshiki Takenouchi (NTT Nishi Nihon) in 8th and 2016 Sendai winner Masato Imai (Toyota Kyushu) in 10th. Expect to see the same kinds of MGC qualifier numbers at the summer's main half marathons like Hakodate and Gold Coast as they tune up for the Sept. 15 Olympic trials race.

29th Sendai International Half Marathon

Sendai, Miyagi, 5/12/19
complete results

Women
1. Keiko Nogami (Juhachi Ginko) - 1:09:27
2. Rei Ohara (Tenmaya) - 1:10:25
3. Hikari Yoshimoto (Daihatsu) - 1:12:39
4. Kaena Takeyama (Daihatsu) - 1:12:58
5. Kanako Takemoto (Daihatsu) - 1:13:14
6. Chiharu Suzuki (Hitachi) - 1:14:03
7. Hiroko Miyauchi (Hokuren) - 1:15:48
8. Saki Tokoro (Kyocera) - 1:17:02
9. Aki Odagiri (Takemura Seisakusho) - 1:17:24
10. Mai Fujisawa (Sapporo Excel AC) - 1:19:12

Men
1. Alexander Mutiso (ND Software) - 1:01:10
2. Yuki Sato (Nissin Shokuhin) - 1:02:30
3. Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 1:02:47
4. Ryo Hashimoto (GMO) - 1:02:55
5. Peter Mwangi (Comody Iida) - 1:02:55
6. Akito Terui (ND Software) - 1:03:01
7. Daichi Kamino (New Balance) - 1:03:05
8. Yoshiki Takenouchi (NTT Nishi Nihon) - 1:03:08
9. Hiroki Miura (Nissin Shokuhin) - 1:03:14
10. Masato Imai (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 1:03:19

© 2019 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Buy Me A Coffee

Comments

Most-Read This Week

National University Championships Entry Lists and Streaming

The 95th National University Track and Field Championships run Friday through Monday at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. The complete meet schedule and live results are here . The 10000 m races were already held separately earlier this season. Streaming starts at 9:00 a.m. Saturday Japan time, with separate field event channels and Day 2 and 3 streaming here . Top entries in each event with best performance in the qualifying window: Men 100 m Shoma Yamamoto (Hiroshima Univ.) - 10.04 Fukuto Komuro (Chuo Univ.) - 10.07 Naoki Nishioka (Tsukuba Univ.) - 10.09 Riku Oishi (Toyo Univ.) - 10.13 Kaito Kuroki (Chuo Univ.) - 10.14 Ryunosuke Mizuno (Waseda Univ.) - 10.14 Yugo Haitamataira (Juntendo Univ.) - 10.17 Shun Miyashita (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 10.19 200 m Akira Hayashi (Keio Univ.) - 20.36 Tomoru Funaki (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 20.39 Oma Asai (Tsukuba Univ.) - 20.47 Reishin Yamamoto (Toyo Univ.) - 20.49 Shingo Suzuki (Tokai Univ.) - 20.54 Haruto Nakamura (Fukuoka Univ.) - 20.55 400 m Shinya Hayashi...

Yuasa and Niiya Win Hokkaido Marathon, 6 Qualify for Olympic Trials

  Six more people picked up qualifying spots for next year's MGC Race at yesterday's Hokkaido Marathon in Sapporo, guaranteeing themselves places at Japan's 2028 Los Angeles Olympics marathon trials. In the men's race, Hibiki Yoshida tried to break away from the massive lead group at 30 km, opening a 25-second lead between there and 35 km before getting cut down by the chase trio of Jin Yuasa , Ken Tansho and Masato Arao . All three stayed together until the very end, Yuasa showing the same kind of closing speed he had in winning 2025 Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon and pulling away to win in 2:10:46. The debuting Tansho was next in 2:10:55, with Arao, 6th at last year's Sydney Marathon in an excellent 2:07:42, 3rd here in 2:10:59. By clearing 2:12:00 all three picked up MGC qualifying spots, freeing them up to go overseas next spring. Continuing a great season, Soka University 's Shoki Yamaguchi was 4th in 2:11:47, missing out on trials qualification but bea...

Monterey Welcomes Student-Athletes from Sister City Nanao, Japan

a press release by the Monterey-Nanao Cross Country Exchange Project photos here Fourteen student-athletes from Nanao High School in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, recently completed a weeklong visit to the Monterey Peninsula as part of the Monterey–Nanao Cross Country Exchange Project , bringing together young people from the two Sister Cities through running, education, environmental stewardship, cultural exchange, and friendship. The seven boys and seven girls from Nanao were paired with 14 members of the Monterey High School cross country team and stayed in their homes throughout the visit. The week marked the first half of a reciprocal exchange that will continue when the Monterey students travel to Nanao later this year. The visitors received their first introduction to Monterey shortly after arriving at Monterey High School, walking with their hosts to Sister City Park and gathering for photographs beside the sign honoring Nanao — a fitting beginning for a week devoted to bringin...