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1st-Year Kiyoto Hirabayashi Wins National University Half Marathon - Going for 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials


The 25th National University Half Marathon took place Sunday in western Tokyo alongside the Tachikawa City Half Marathon. The race that decides the #1 collegiate half marathoner in the country was won by 19-year-old Koku Gakuin University 1st-year Kiyoto Hirabayashi, who pulled away from the field after 14 km to win in 1:01:50. Consistently strong throughout his rookie season, Hirabayashi made KGU's starting team for all the Big Three University Ekidens and took 2nd on the Hakone Ekiden's competitive Ninth Stage. Taiga Nakanishi, KGU's captain for the upcoming 2022-23 year, was 2nd in 1:02:02, just beating Toyo University 2nd-year Kazuki Matsuyama at the line to make it a KGU 1-2. All three qualified for the Japanese team for June's Chengdu World University Games.

On one of the first days of true spring warmth, Hirabayashi shouted in joy as he crossed the finish line. When Nakanishi came in seconds later Hirabayashi hugged him, laughing. "This was my first half marathon, and I performed," Hirabayashi said. "It was 21 km of pure fun. So fun that I had to scream. I've still got a lot of room to get better so I want to have a good track season and then bring that to ekiden season this fall."

Of his attack at 14 km Hirabayashi said, "When I looked at the faces of the other guys around me they all looked like they were working hard, so I thought it was time to go." When he did, nobody could go with him and he rode the momentum all the way to the finish line. Hirabayashi was motived by the success of his fellow KGU 1st-year Ayumu Yamamoto, who ran 1:00:43 for 8th at February's National Corporate Half Marathon, the fastest time ever by a Japanese-born collegiate runner. "Ayumu's race and time were incredibly inspiring," he said post-race.

With his win Hirabayashi has made his first national team. "I've never raced internationally, so I really want to focus on this one and hit it hard," he said. "Japan has owned the podium at the World University Games half marathon for a long time, so I'll be going there to medal too."

For head coach Yasuhiro Maeda, who took over at KGU in 2009, this was the first time to have athletes make a World University Games team. "That was exactly what I was planning," he said happily. "Both Hirabayashi and Nakanishi had excellent training. Going 1-2 to make the World University Games team is a big deal. I told them, 'If you don't make a national team, you won't make it to the next level.'"

Maeda revealed he also has big plans for Hirabayashi and 2nd-year Kenzo Ijichi, who was 8th behind his teammates. "We're talking about them trying to qualify for the MGC 2024 Olympic marathon trials next year. Nobody has run the MGC while they were still a student yet, so they want to go for it at either the Tokyo or Osaka Marathon next year. If they make it then it will hurt us at the 2023 Izumo Ekiden, but I still want them to go for it seriously. Hirabayashi is well-suited to the marathon, motivated, and hard-working. I can't wait to see how he does."

Hirabayashi added, "Next year I'm going for the MGC. Coach Maeda and I have been talking about it since last year. But I'm only halfway there right now, so I'll need to really up my training load. I want to build on what I did this year and not get injured."

2nd-placer Nakanishi, who will join Hirabayashi at the World University Games, said his run at the National University Half Marathon was a big confidence-builder. "My goal today was to make top three so I'd get a place on the national team. I did lose to a younger teammate, but I'm glad I ran well in my first race since being elected captain. I think having two of us make the national team will motivate all the other KGU runners. As captain this year I want to lead by example. Ijichi, Ayumu, Hirabayashi and I will be the core around which I want to help make a team that can be competitive at the Hakone Ekiden. Personally I think we can make top three there next year."

3rd-placer Matsuyama follows Akira Aizawa, gold medalist in the last World University Games half marathon and current 10000 m national record holder, to make it two-straight national teams for Toyo athletes. "I was going for the win, so it's pretty disappointing to only take 3rd," he said. "But my minimum goal was making the national team, so at least that happened. That'll pay off later."

At last month's National Corporate Half Marathon Matsuyama also lost out in a photo finish with a KGU runner, finishing in the same 1:00:43 as Yamamoto. Having run well there, he found it hard to peak again just 4 weeks later. "I'd give this about a 60%," he said post-race. For the upcoming season he said, "I'm aiming for 27-something in the 10000 m. After that, the World University Games will be my first international race. I want to run it aggressively and make it to the top."

25th National University Men's Half Marathon

Showa Kinen Park, Tachikawa, Tokyo, 13 Mar. 2022

1. Kiyoto Hirabayashi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 1:01:50 - debut
2. Taiga Nakanishi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:02 - PB
3. Kazuki Matsuyama (Toyo Univ.) - 1:02:02
4. Shunpei Tomita (Meiji Univ.) - 1:02:10 - PB
5. Yoshiteru Takatsuki (Tokyo Nogyo Univ.) - 1:02:19 - PB
6. Reishi Yoshida (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:21 - PB
7. Daiki Ozawa (Meiji Univ.) - 1:02:22 - PB
8. Kenzo Ijichi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:22 - PB
9. Shota Nishiwaki (Teikyo Univ.) - 1:02:25 - PB
10. Masahiro Mekata (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:36 - PB
11. Takuma Takemura (Tokai Univ.) - 1:02:42 - PB
12. Yuma Nishizawa (Juntendo Univ.) - 1:02:49
13. Haruki Abe (Chuo Univ.) - 1:02:54 - PB
14. Yuto Tanaka (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:55
15. Yugo Kashiwa (Toyo Univ.) - 1:02:55 - PB
16. Mahiro Sato (Toyo Univ.) - 1:02:55 - PB
17. Ryuichiro Ono (Teikyo Univ.) - 1:02:56 - PB
18. Kengo Sakamoto (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:58 - PB
19. Tatsuya Kiyama (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 1:03:00 - PB
20. Sota Matsuda (Soka Univ.) - 1:03:01 - PB
21. Kaihei Kitano (Teikyo Univ.) - 1:03:01
22. Tetta Shiratori (Komazawa Univ.) - 1:03:13 - PB
23. Safumi Sugi (Meiji Univ.) - 1:03:16 - PB
24. Hiroki Wakabayashi (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:03:18 - PB
25. Rei Yamahira (Chuo Univ.) - 1:03:18 - PB
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Comments

RigaJags said…
Hirabayashi is having himself a strong first year and Koku Gakuin seems on the rise.

That said, does it really make sense to hold this national title race mid-march?
I'm taking nothing away from Hirabashi win but feels a bit weird to have the national half marathon race with all the top names missing, some being even abroad (Yegon got second place at Paris half marathon last week) and most of the athletes not being at peak form.

Looking forward to Hirabayashi's path, seeing him perform again at the University games and then at the Ekidens in fall. I have no idea if he'll be able to reach the Paris 2024 qualifiers but here's another storyline to follow over the next few months/years.

Kazuki Matsuyama's race (combined with his performance at the corporate half marathon last month) is promising for Toyo (who badly need Ishida on top form) and the ekiden world.
We need all the talent we can find to field multiple teams capable of closing down on AGU.
Komazawa, Toyo and Koku Gakuin seems to be doing just that and that makes it all very excting for the upcoming months.
March 15, 2022 at 5:52 PM
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