The fastest Japanese men's half marathon time of the weekend came overseas, where 2018 Fukuoka International Marathon winner Yuma Hattori followed up his New Year Ekiden-winning anchor run for Toyota with a 1:02:49 for 6th at the Santa Pola International Half Marathon in Spain almost 3 minutes behind winner Andamlak Belihu of Ethiopia.
In a bit of synchronicity, 2020 Fukuoka winner Yuya Yoshida ran the fastest time of the weekend on home soil, outrunning GMO teammate Yuta Shimoda by 16 seconds to win Kumamoto's Okukuma Half Marathon in 1:03:07. Kazuto Kawabata (SGH) was 3rd in 1:03:26 as the only other runner to clear 64 minutes. Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi (ANDS) was in 27th at 5 km in 15:08 and faded a minute per 5 km from there to end up 37th in 1:10:17. Close behind him, women-only marathon NR holder Mao Ichiyama (Shiseido) had a surprisingly narrow win over relative unknown Yukari Nagatomo (Memolead) 1:12:26 to 1:12:38, Ichiyama's 3rd-straight Okukuma victory.
In Tokyo, Johnson Mogeni (Asia Univ.) took the top spot at the Akabane Half Marathon in 1:03:12, with Jun Kojima (Ryutsu Keizai Univ.) running a PB of over 2 minutes for the top Japanese spot at 2nd in 1:04:13. Social media influencer Aoi Makara won the women's race in 1:16:19, almost a minute faster than her previous PB from last November's Ageo City Half Marathon.
© 2024 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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