Uchida 4th at Chevron Houston Marathon

Making his international debut with support from JRN, Kenta Uchida (SID Group) took 4th in the Chevron Houston Marathon in a tight pack race to the end. The debuting Frank Lara (U.S.A.) did most of the work throughout the race, leading the front group through halfway in 1:05:30 before things slowed to mid-2:12 territory. When another first-timer, Luke Caldwell (Great Britain) caught up just after 25 km and went right by into the lead the pace picked up, but at 40 km it was still a group of 6 all right together.

James Ngandu (Kenya), yet another runner doing his first marathon, had the strongest kick, finishing in 2:11:03 to run almost even splits. 2nd placer Abdi Abdo (Bahrain) was 8 seconds behind by the end, but just 9 seconds separated him from 5th. Elisha Barno (Kenya) edged Uchida for 3rd by 3 seconds 2:11:16 to 2:11:19, with 2020 winner Kelkile Gezahegn (Ethiopia) another second behind Uchida. Both Lara and Caldwell cleared 2:12 in 6th and 7th.

"For his first time racing overseas this was pretty good," said Uchida's coach Junichi Shibata. "He was right there until the end and didn't drop off or go too early. I'm happy with how he did." "I'm happy with how I did," said Shibata, "but more than happy I'm just really tired." Shibata's result moved him up to 5th in the Japan Marathon Championship rankings, where a top-8 ranking at the end of March qualifies the athletes for the 2024 MGC Olympic marathon trials.

In the women's race Keira D'Amato (U.S.A.) soloed a male-paced 2:19:12 national record, winning by almost 10 minutes over runner-up Alice Wright (Great Britain) and exactly tying Olympic gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi's Japanese national record. The American record also fell in the accompanying half-marathon where Sara Hall ran 1:07:15 for 2nd behind Vicoty Chepngeno (Kenya), who set an American all-comers record of 1:05:03. Milkelsa Tolosa (Ethiopia) won the men's race in 1:00:24 by 3 seconds over John Korir (Kenya). 8th-placer Rory Linkletter set a Canadian national record of 1:01:08.

50th Chevron Houston Marathon

Houston, Texas, U.S.A., 16 Jan., 2022

complete results

Men

1. James Ngandu (Kenya) - 2:11:03 - debut

2. Abdi Abdo (Bahrain) - 2:11:11

3. Elisha Barno (Kenya) - 2:11:16

4. Kenta Uchida (Japan/SID Group) - 2:11:19

5. Kelkile Gezahegn (Ethiopia) - 2:11:20

6. Frank Lara (U.S.A.) - 2:11:32 - debut

7. Luke Caldwell (Great Britain) - 2:11:33 - debut

8. Josh Izewski (U.S.A.) - 2:12:45 - PB

9. Augustus Maiyo (U.S.A.) - 2:13:17

10. Rodgers Ondati Gesabwa (U.S.A.) - 2:14:46

Women

1. Keira D'Amato (U.S.A.) - 2:19:12 - NR, CR

2. Alice Wright (Great Britain) - 2:29:08

3. Maggie Montoya (U.S.A.) - 2:29:08

4. Roberta Groner (U.S.A.) - 2:32:02

5. Atsede Tesema (Ethiopia) - 2:32:38

6. Brittney Feivor (U.S.A.) - 2:32:39

7. Kathya Mirell Garcia Barrios (Mexico) - 2:32:54

8. Christina Welsh (U.S.A.) - 2:33:00

9. Molly Bookmyer (U.S.A.) - 2:33:19

10. Andrea Pomaranski (U.S.A.) - 2:33:35

Men's Half Marathon

1. Milkelsa Tolosa (Ethiopia) - 1:00:24

2. John Korir (Kenya) - 1:00:27

3. Wilfred Kimitei (Kenya) - 1:00:44

4. Kirubel Erassa (U.S.A.) - 1:00:44

5. Shadrack Kimining (Kenya) - 1:00:53

6. Patrick Tiernan (Australia) - 1:00:55

7. Biya Simbassa (U.S.A.) - 1:01:03

8. Rory Linkletter (Canada) - 1:01:08 - NR

9. Sydney Gidabuday (U.S.A.) - 1:01:09

10. Scott Fauble (U.S.A.) - 1:01:11

Women's Half Marathon

1. Vicoty Chepngeno (Kenya) - 1:05:03 - ACR

2. Sara Hall (U.S.A.) - 1:07:15 - NR

3. Dominique Scott (South Africa) - 1:07:32

4. Fiona O'Keefe (U.S.A.) - 1:07:42

5. Jessica Judd (Great Britain) - 1:07:52

6. Emily Durgin (U.S.A.) - 1:07:54

7. Caren Maiyo (Kenya) - 1:08:41

8. Dakotah Lindwurm (U.S.A.) - 1:09:36

9. Nell Rojas (U.S.A.) - 1:09:42

10. Annie Frisbie (U.S.A.) - 1:10:27

Kobe Marathon Elite Field

Sunday's Kobe Marathon has announced its elite fields, finally. Japanese athletes have a shot at qualifying for next fall's MGC Race, the official trials race for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, if they go sub-2:27 for the first Japanese woman across the line or sub-2:09 for the first 3 Japanese men to do it. There aren't a lot of contenders to pull it off. On the women's side, Kaede Hagitani , Ayaka Shimoyamada and Kotomi Tsubokura all ran 2:31-32 PBs in the spring and will need to step it up a couple of notches to get there. 2:23 Kenyan Antonina Kwambai is perfectly positioned to help. On the men's side, Keijiro Mogi is closest with a 2:09:06 at last year's Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, Hiroto Kanamori his closest domestic competition with a 2:10:01 PB in Osaka in February. The international trio of last year's winner Barnaba Kipkoech , Elisha Rotich and Goitom Kifle all have recent 2:06-7 times and should help set it up for someone to get there, wh...

Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Elite Field (updated)

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Kenyan Graduate Student Athlete Posts Job Hunt for Ekiden Team on Twitter

A Kenyan runner who had tried to help lead his team to the Hakone Ekiden has taken an unusual approach to finding a post-graduation sponsor. Last week Patrick Kamau posted his job hunt on his Twitter account , saying, "I am looking for a club team or a corporate team where I can run in ekidens. I would be happy to run for any team that gave me a chance. I would be grateful for any opportunity and take it on with a positive attitude!" Kamau was 5th at the Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai qualifying race half marathon in 1:01:10 last year during his 4th year at Jobu University . But despite his efforts, Jobu never qualified for Hakone during his 4 years there. He is currently working on a graduate degree while looking for "a team that will let me continue my competitive career." Fans responded to Kamau's job search posting, saying, "I hope it works out for you!" "Good luck comes to those who work hard" and "Kamau is going to graduate school? Given...

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