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2020 Olympic Marathon Trials Winner Shogo Nakamura Wins First Race of Year in PB Time

2020 Olympic marathon trials winner Shogo Nakamura (27, Fujitsu) ran a course record 1:01:40 to win the Jan. 12 Takanezawa Genki Up Half Marathon in Tochigi. His time bettered his 2016 PB of 1:01:53 by 13 seconds. "I ran pretty much according to plan," he commented afterward.

Nakamura's sponsor team Fujitsu finished 17th at November's East Japan Corporate Ekiden, failing to qualify for the Jan. 1 New Year Ekiden national championships. As a result, Takanezawa was his first race of the Olympic year. Alongside him were members of 2020 Hakone Ekiden champion Aoyama Gakuin University, runner-up Tokai University and other top collegiate programs. Most fielded 3rd-year and younger team members who didn't make this year's Hakone lineups, giving them valuable experience for the buildup to next year's 97th running.

Next up Nakamura plans to run in the Mar. 29 World Half Marathon Championships. His coach Hiroaki Oyagi, 61, commented, "At the World Half we will be targeting a time under 1:01." Honing his speed, Nakamura continues to prepare for the Aug. 9 Sapporo Olympic marathon.

In the 10 km race, Tokai head coach Hayashi Morozumi, 53, ran 35:40, breaking the 50+ course record but finishing 2nd in his division. "The last 3 km were hard," he said. "I felt like this summed up this season. A course record but 2nd, just like at Hakone." Morozumi plans to run March's Tokyo Marathon, his first time running one since the 1995 Fukuoka International Marathon. "I aim not to get hurt," he said. With a PB of 2:18:37, his goal this time is to go sub-3.

47th Takanezawa Genki Up Half Marathon

Takanezawa, Tochigi, 1/12/20

1. Shogo Nakamura (Fujitsu) - 1:01:40 -CR, PB
2. Daisuke Momozawa (San Kogyo) - 1:01:58 - PB
3. Hironobu Nakakura (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:26 - PB
4. Taiki Miyasaka (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:26 - PB
5. Ryo Nishikubo (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:26 - PB
6. Takeshi Shingo (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:30 - PB
7. Yuito Nakamura (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:43 - PB
8. Keita Honma (Tokai Univ.) - 1:02:59 - PB
9. Shoya Hayata (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:03:00 - PB
10. Torazo Kai (Chuo Univ.) - 1:03:07 - PB

source articles:
https://hochi.news/articles/20200112-OHT1T50040.html
https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/202001120000308.html
translated and edited by Brett Larner

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