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Olympic Marathoners Tune Up in U.S.


Paris Olympics women's marathon team member Mao Ichiyama (Shiseido) ran the Mastercard New York Mini 10k in the U.S.A. this weekend. Running as part of her training, she was 25th in 35:41 in what will be her final race before the Paris Olympics.

Ichiyama finished 8th at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and took 2nd at the Marathon Grand Championship Olympic trials race last Oct. 15 to qualify for her second-straight Olympic marathon. In January she ran 1:12:26 at the Okukuma Road Race half marathon and 1:45:21 to win February's Ome Road Race 30 km.

Also racing in the U.S. this weekend was men's Olympic trials 3rd-placer Suguru Osako (Nike). Running at the Portland Track Festival in Oregon, Osako was 6th in the 10000 m in 28:16.00 in his first track race since last November's Hachioji Long Distance 10000 m.

Doing it as a training run, Osako ran the first half at 66-68' per lap, clocking even splits of 5:40 at 2000 m and 11:20 at 4000 m. He slowed gradually after 6000 m but rallied over the last 1000 m and managed a 62' last lap. Osako was 13th in 2:11:44 at April's Boston Marathon. He continues to prepare for Paris from his base in the U.S.

Also running the Portland Track Festival, Yuto Imae (GMO) was 2nd in 28:12.74. Elsewhere, Mao Kiyota (Suzuki) was 3rd in the Chicago Half Marathon women's race in 1:13:00, with Shun Sadakata (Mazda) 5th in the men's race in 1:03:54.


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Stefan said…
I watched this race on YouTube and saw a glimse of Mao Ichiyama as she was never with the top runners. That time, even as part of a training run, is not hitting her marathon pace. It's 3:34.37 per km if I'm not mistaken. There is still some time till the Paris Olympics but I'm a bit concerned. In comparison two of the US Paris Olympic qualified marathoners, Dakotah Lindwurm and Emily Sisson ran 31:58 and 32:08 respectively. I read on Instagram Emily Sisson was disappointed with her race. They are both in the middle of their marathon training build. I'm hoping Mao Ichiyama can peak at the right time or is not carrying some sort of injury.
June 10, 2024 at 5:11 AM
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