Chesang and Kipkoech Win Hot Gifu Half

Hot conditions held back fast times at the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon Sunday, where Ugandan Stella Chesang and Kenya Hillary Kipkoech took the top spots over last year's winners Dolphine Nyaboke Omare and Amos Kurgat.

In the women's race Chesang, Omare and Kenyan-born Bahraini Eunice Chebichii Chumba went out as a trio, Japan-based Hellen Ekarare with them initially but eventually dropping out. After a 15:39 opening 5 km Chumba started to slip off, and by 15 km Chesang was on her own. Chesang won in 1:07:59, solid given the conditions, with Omare 2nd in 1:08:31 and Chumba 3rd in 1:09:10. Rinka Hida was the first Japanese woman, 5th overall in 1:12:06 behind Australian Genevieve Gregson.

A lead men's pack of 11 went through 5 km in 14:31, but by 10 km it was down to Kipkoech, Kurgat, , Timothy Kiplagat, Ugandan Stephen Kissa and Japan-based Kenyans Patrick Mathenge Wambui and Anthony Maina. At 15 km in 43:40 only Kurgat and Kipkoech were left, and over the last 5 km Kipkoech pulled away for the win in 1:01:26. Kurgat was next in 1:01:38, with Kiplagat 3rd in 1:01:55. Top Japanese honors went to Hideyuki Tanaka, 6th in 1:02:31. Paris Olympics marathon-bound Australian Brett Robinson and Canadian Rory Linkletter were 11th and 14th overall, Robinson in 1:03:42 and Linkletter in 1:04:16.

13th Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon

Gifu, 28 April 2024

complete results

Women

1. Stella Chesang (Uganda) - 1:07:59

2. Dolphine Nyaboke Omare (Kenya/Uniqlo) - 1:08:31

3. Eunice Chebichii Chumba (Bahrain) - 1:09:10

4. Genevieve Gregson (Australia) - 1:11:39

5. Rinka Hida (Japan/Daiichi Seimei) - 1:12:06

6. Mao Kiyota (Japan/Suzuki) - 1:12:09

7. Reia Iwade (Japan/Denso) - 1:12:46

8. Kaori Morita (Japan/Panasonic) - 1:13:18

9. Sayaka Sato (Japan/Sekisui Kagaku) - 1:13:38

10. Ayaka Kato (Japan/Uniqlo) - 1:14:30

11. Ayano Ikeuchi (Denso) - 1:14:31

12. Madoka Nakano (Japan/Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:14:48

13. Erina Yasui (Japan/Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:14:54

14. Miku Hirashima (Japan/Uniqlo) - 1:15:50

15. Mirai Waku (Japan/Universal Entertainment) - 1:16:20

16. Erin Mawhinney (Canada) - 1:17:23

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23. Linda Janthachit (Thailand) - 1:23:17

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DNF - Hellen Ekarare (Kenya/Toyota Jidoshokki)

Men

1. Hillary Kipkoech (Kenya) - 1:01:26

2. Amos Kurgat (Kenya/Chudenko) - 1:01:38

3. Timothy Kiplagat (Kenya) - 1:01:55

4. Patrick Mathenge Wambui (Kenya/NTT Nishi Nihon) - 1:01:58

5. Anthony Maina (Kenya/Toyota Kyushu) - 1:02:29

6. Hideyuki Tanaka (Japan/Toyota) - 1:02:31

7. Benard Kimani (Kenya/Comodi Iida) - 1:02:48

8. Stephen Kissa (Uganda) - 1:03:07

9. Charles Kamau (Kenya/SG Holdings) - 1:03:25

10. Kazuto Kawabata (SG Holdings) - 1:03:26

11. Brett Robinson (Australia) - 1:03:42

12. Kazuya Azegami (Japan/Toyota) - 1:03:48

13. Kiyohito Akiyama (Japan/Aichi Seiko) - 1:04:08

14. Rory Linkletter (Canada) - 1:04:16

15. Hiromasa Kumahashi (Japan/Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 1:04:23

16. Shuto Mikami (Japan/SG Holdings) - 1:04:30

17. Yuma Hattori (Japan/Toyota) - 1:04:30

18. Simon Saidimu (Kenya/Chuo Hatsujo) - 1:04:39

19. Taiki Suzuki (Japan/ND Software) - 1:05:05

20. Yuichi Yasui (Japan/Toyota) - 1:05:14

21. Tatsuya Sumide (Japan/Aichi Seiko) - 1:05:23

22. Yuta Shitara (Japan/Nishitetsu) - 1:05:25

23. Yohei Suzuki (Japan/Aisan Kogyo) - 1:05:35

24. Joel Mwaura (Kenya/Kurosaki Harima) - 1:05:44

25. Masashi Ishida (Japan/Shimamura) - 1:06:02

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35. Yuki Nakamura (Japan/Sumitomo Denko) - 1:08:11

40. Nattawut Innum (Thailand) - 1:08:43

44. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 1:09:56

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