'22 World Silver Medalist Jumpei Yamaguchi Misses WR by 33 Seconds at Lake Saroma 100 km

After dropping out of a shot at the world record at last month's Shibamata 100 km, 2022 World Championships silver medalist Jumpei Yamaguchi (Eldoreso) was back to give it another go at Sunday's Lake Saroma 100 km Ultramarathon in Hokkaido. Running into a 1~2 m/s headwind for much of the race, Yamaguchi started fast, splitting 35:55 at 10 km, just on track for sub-6 hours. '22 gold medalist and Shibamata winner Haruki Okayama (Comodi Iida), two-time world champ Hideaki Yamauchi (Hamamatsu Hotniks), 2017 Lake Saroma winner Tatsuya Itagaki (Tokinosumika) and others went with him, but by 30 km it was down to just Yamauchi, Itagaki and Okayama in 1:47:48.

After hitting the marathon point in 2:31:39, still sub-6 pace, Okayama fell off and ultimately dropped out. Itagaki stayed with Yamaguchi until 60 km in 3:37:09 before letting go. As the temperature hit 20˚ under cloudless skies and climbed on to 22˚ Yamaguchi's 10 km splits slowed into the 37-minute range, and the month-old pending WR of 6:05:35 set by Lithuanian Alexsandr Sorokin began to slip away. With 10 km to go Yamaguchi needed to run 36:13 to surpass Sorokin before he was officially in the books. Rallying to close in 36:46, Yamaguchi came up just short as he broke the tape in 6:06:08.

That took over 3 minutes off the Japanese national record and still officially standing WR of 6:09:14 by Nao Kazami (Aisan Kogyo) and moved Yamaguchi up to all-time #2. "This was my first time winning a 100 km, but I'm really disappointed to have missed the world record," he said through tears post-race. "The course was hillier than I expected and it got hot, so when I look back on this I'll have some painful memories. I want to say thank you to everyone at my sponsor Eldoreso who believed in me and was there for me when I was injured and feeling down. Now I know the world record is in range"

Yamaguchi's 10 km splits and projected finish time:

10 km: 35:56 (5:59:20)

20 km: 36:24 (6:01:40)

30 km: 35:29 (5:59:23)

40 km: 35:52 (5:59:13)

50 km: 36:32 (6:00:26)

60 km: 36:57 (6:01:57)

70 km: 38:00 (6:04:31)

80 km: 37:05 (6:05:19)

90 km: 37:07 (6:05:58)

100 km: 36:46 (6:06:08)

Given the hotter conditions than what Sorokin faced, the headwind and the fast start, there's a case to be made that this was the greatest road 100 km performance ever.

In the women's race, favorite Miho Nakata (Chiba T&F Assoc.), 6th at the 2022 World Championships, held an early lead and held it through 50 km in 3:32:57 before getting passed by 2018 Lake Saroma winner Mai Fujisawa (Excel AC). But Fujisawa couldn't hold the lead either, as Mikiko Ota (KSS Runners) came from almost 6 minutes behind at 80 km to pass her for 1st just before 90 km. From there to the end it was all Ota, 1st in 7:28:42 by more than 11 minutes over Fujisawa.

Ota's 10 km splits and projected finish time:

10 km: 44:17 (7:22:50)

20 km: 44:20 (7:23:05)

30 km: 44:16 (7:22:57)

40 km: 44:38 (7:23:48)

50 km: 44:53 (7:24:48)

60 km: 45:14 (7:26:03)

70 km: 44:49 (7:26:21)

80 km: 44:24 (7:26:04)

90 km: 46:26 (7:28:06)

100 km: 45:25 (7:28:42)

38th Lake Saroma 100 km and 50 km Ultramarathon

Hokkaido, 25 June 2023

official results and splits

Men

1. Jumpei Yamaguchi (Eldoreso) - 6:06:08 - NR

2. Tatsuya Inagaki (Tokinosumika) - 6:22:11

3. Toru Somiya (Mitsugi Club) - 6:36:13

4. Hideaki Yamauchi (Hamamatsu Hotniks) - 6:51:20

Women

1. Mikiko Ota (KSS Runners) - 7:28:42

2. Mai Fujisawa (Excel AC) - 7:39:44

3. Haruna Takano (unattached) - 7:52:51

4. Miho Nakata (Chiba T&F Assoc.) - 8:01:45

5. Sonoka Nakayama (Uchida Chiryoin) - 8:14:03

© 2023 Brett Larner, all rights reserved