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MGC Race Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier - Akinobu Murasawa

Akinobu Murasawa

age: 28
sponsor: Nissin Shokuhin
graduated from: Saku Chosei H.S., Tokai University

best time inside MGC window:
2:09:47, 14th, 2018 Tokyo Marathon

PB: 2:09:47, 14th, 2018 Tokyo Marathon

other PBs:
5000 m: 13:34.85 (2011) 10000 m: 27:50.59 (2012) 20 km: 59:08 (2009)

marathons inside MGC window (Aug. 1 2017 – April 30 2019)
18th, 2018 Frankfurt Marathon, 2:15:41
14th, 2018 Tokyo Marathon, 2:09:47 – PB
1st, 2017 Hokkaido Marathon, 2:14:48

other major results:
25th, 2019 Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, 1:04:32
34th, 2019 New Year Ekiden Third Stage (13.6 km), 40:25
28th, 2017 Lake Biwa Marathon, 2:17:51
5th, 2017 Karatsu 10-Miler, 46:46
8th, 2016 National Championships 10000 m, 28:29.10
5th, 2015 National Championships 10000 m, 28:39.39
9th, 2014 Kumamoto Kosa 10-Miler, 46:40 – PB
3rd, 2012 Hakone Ekiden Second Stage (23.2 km), 1:08:14
1st, 2011 Hakone Ekiden Second Stage (23.2 km), 1:06:52
2nd, 2010 Hakone Ekiden Second Stage (23.2 km), 1:08:08
1st, 2009 Hakone Ekiden Qualifier 20 km, 59:08 – PB

Alongside future marathon national record holder Suguru Osako (Nike Oregon Project) Murasawa was part of Saku Chosei High School’s 2008 National High School Ekiden-winning team, at that point the fastest-ever all-Japanese high school team in history. Going on to Tokai University Murasawa had a big impact, winning the Hakone Ekiden Qualifier 20 km in 59:08 his first year and a month later having one of the best head-to-head ekiden duels ever vs. Komazawa University’s Tsuyoshi Ugachi at the National University Ekiden.

But for all his early success Murasawa faded from the frontlines as a corporate leaguer, held back by injuries after trying to change his form to be more Kenyan. After years of relative obscurity in 2017 he took a shot at the marathon, running 2:17:51 at the Lake Biwa Marathon. A few months later he won the late summer Hokkaido Marathon in 2:14:48 to become the first man to qualify for the MGC Race. He followed up with a 2:09:47 at last year’s Tokyo Marathon and looked like his transition was on track.

Since then, though, he’s lacked the same spark, running only 2:15:41 in Frankfurt and finishing 34th on his stage at the New Year Ekiden. Nissin Shokuhin’s announcement shortly afterward that it was disbanding its team and would only continue support Murasawa and teammate Yuki Sato couldn’t have helped. In April he ran 1:04:32 at the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon and hasn’t been seen since. Murasawa still has a huge fan base, but for all the memories of the fire he showed a decade ago it’ll take something special for him to live up to that at the MGC Race.

next profile: Tadashi Isshiki (GMO).

© 2019 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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