With just over a month to go until its final edition, on Nov. 1 the organizers of the Fukuoka International Marathon held a press conference to announce its last elite field. For the second year in a row it's domestic-only, headlined by Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Harima), 2:06:35 at the final Lake Biwa Marathon this past spring, Ryu Takaku (Yaklut), 2:06:45 in Tokyo last year, and Daisuke Uekado (Otsuka Seiyaku), 2:06:54 in Tokyo just behind Takaku.
Out of a total field of 124, along with the 3 sub-2:07 guys there are 11 sub-2:08, 18 sub-2:09, 25 sub-2:10 and many more at the sub-2:11 and sub-2:12 levels. It's an even bigger front end than was on the entry list at the record-breaking final Lake Biwa Marathon earlier this year, and for a domestic field it's one worthy of sending off Fukuoka's 75-year history. Last year's winner Yuya Yoshida (GMO), who was scheduled to run October's Tokyo Marathon before it was postponed until March, is absent.
With Japan still holding tight to its border closures the international component of the field is covered by Japan-based internationals Michael Githae (Suzuki), 2:08:17 in Fukuoka last year, Mongolian NR holder Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mie T&F Assoc.) past Marugame Half winner Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon), James Gitahi Rungaru (Chuo Hatsujo), Daniel Muiva Kitonyi (Track Tokyo), and the debuting Nicholas Kosimbei (YKK).
JRN will be on-site at this year's Fukuoka to cover the race's final edition live, with special focus on the final finisher.
© 2021 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
75th Fukuoka International Marathon
times listed are best in last three years except where noted
Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Hariima) - 2:06:35 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Ryu Takaku (Yakult) - 2:06:45 (Tokyo 2020)
Daisuke Uekado (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 2:06:54 (Tokyo 2020)
Toshiki Sadakata (Mitsubishi Juko) - 2:07:05 (Tokyo 2020)
Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) - 2:07:12 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Shin Kimura (Honda) - 2:07:20 (Tokyo 2020)
Yuki Kawauchi (ANDS) - 2:07:27 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Shohei Otsuka (Kyudenko) - 2:07:38 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)
Masaru Aoki (Kanebo) - 2:07:40 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Yuta Shitara (Honda) - 2:07:45 (Tokyo 2020)
Atsumi Ashiwa (Honda) - 2:07:54 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Natsuki Terada (JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:08:03 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)
Kento Otsu (Toyota Kyushu) - 2:08:15 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Michael Githae (Kenya/Suzuki) - 2:08:17 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)
Junichi Tsubouchi (Kurosaki Harima) - 2:08:35 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Yuji Iwata (Mitsubishi Juko) - 2:08:45 (Tokyo 2020)
Kazuma Kubo (Nishitetsu) - 2:08:53 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 2:08:56 (Berlin 2019)
Chihiro Miyawaki (Toyota) - 2:09:04 (Tokyo 2020)
Kohei Futaoka (Chudenko) - 2:09:15 (Beppu-Oita 2019)
Shoma Yamamoto (NTT Nishi Nihon) - 2:09:18 (Lake Biwa 2020)
Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mongolia/Mie T&F Assoc.) - 2:09:26 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Yoshiki Takenouchi (NTT Nishi Nihon) - 2:09:31 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)
Takahiro Nakamura (Kyocera Kagoshima) - 2:09:40 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Paul Kuira (Kenya/JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:09:57 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)
Jo Fukuda (NN Running Team) - 2:10:32 (Beppu-Oita 2020)
Ryota Komori (NTN) - 2:10:33 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Yuki Nakamura (Sumitomo Denko) - 2:10:47 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Takuma Shibata (Komori Corp.) - 2:10:48 (Hofu 2020)
Koshiro Hirata (SG Holdings) - 2:10:50 (Lake Biwa 2021)
Shota Saito (JFE Steel) - 2:10:50 (Beppu-Oita 2020)
Asuka Tanaka (Runlife) - 2:11:07 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)
Taiki Suzuki (Eldoreso) - 2:12:09 (Fukuoka Int'l 2019)
Keita Shitara (Hitachi Butsuryu) - 2:12:13 (Tokyo 2020)
James Gitahi Rungaru (Kenya/Chuo Hatsujo) - 2:12:54 (Hofu 2020)
Daniel Muiva Kitonyi (Kenya/Track Tokyo) - 2:14:41 (Nagano 2019)
Deubt
Nicholas Mboroto Kosimbei (Kenya/YKK) - 1:00:21 (Lisbon Half 2019)
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