Furukawa Wins Katsuta Marathon by 1 Second

Japan's other big marathon this weekend, the Katsuta Marathon saw a tough four-way race in the men's marathon that came down to a sprint finish in the home straight. Tokyo University graduate student Hiroaki Furukawa, who last year launched action against the Hakone Ekiden organizers for not including a select team in the field for Hakone's 100th edition, passed Sota Yamamoto in the final meters to take 1st in 2:17:28 to Yamamoto's 2:17:29. 3rd and 4th-place Tatsuya Inagaki and Yudai Hiruta weren't far behind, Inagaki finishing in 2:17:41 and Hiruta in 2:17:56.

The women's race wasn't as close, but the top three were still only a little more than a minute apart. Kana Numata scored the top spot in 2:44:34, with Natsuki Tomii 2nd in 2:45:33 and Natsumi Kuroda 3rd in 2:45:56. Furukawa and Numata both scored invitations to April's Boston Marathon for their wins, the only Japanese athletes currently in the elite field.

In the 10 km race, high schooler Jecinta Nyokabi rocked a 32:08 to win the women's race by over 2 minutes. Paralympian Yuki Iwata won the men's race by 17 seconds in 30:38.

72nd Katsuta Marathon and 10 km

Hitachinaka, Ibaraki, 26 Jan. 2025

complete results

Women's Marathon

1. Kana Numata (Saysky) - 2:44:34

2. Natsuki Tomii (Tokyo T&F Assoc.) - 2:45:33

3. Natsumi Kuroda (GRlab) - 2:45:56

4. Ai Ishikawa (unattached) - 2:54:32

5. Harue Kikuchi (unattached) - 2:57:22

6. Sonoko Koyama (unattached) - 2:59:20

Men's Marathon

1. Hiroaki Furukawa (Tokyo Univ. Grad School) - 2:17:28

2. Sota Yamamoto (Hanni T&F Assoc.) - 2:17:29

3. Tatsuya Inagaki (Mishima RC) - 2:17:41

4. Yudai Hiruta (K-project) - 2:17:56

5. Yoshiki Murase (Takada SDF Base) - 2:18:54

6. Hyuma Abe (Team Nitro) - 2:19:17

Women's 10 km

1. Jecinta Nyokabi (Hakuho Joshi H.S.) - 32:08

2. Haruka Suguro (Hakuho Joshi H.S.) - 34:20

3. Toshika Tamura (Hitachi) - 35:07

4. Kukuri Murai (Hakuho Joshi H.S.) - 35:25

5. Karen Suzuki (Hitachi) - 35:32

6. Mina Numata (Hakuho Joshi H.S.) - 35:58

Men's 10 km

1. Yuki Iwata (one's Para AC) - 30:38

2. Ryota Kikuchi (Suijo H.S.) - 30:55

3. Kaname Suzuki (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 31:20

4. Yusuke Fujimoto (Toyo Univ.) - 31:33

5. Naoki Saito (Hitachi Iryo) - 31:35

6. Taisei Kano (one's Para AC) - 31:36

'Kobe 2024: Aitchison, Athmani Lead Record-Breaking Thursday'

https://www.paralympic.org/news/kobe-2024-para-athletics-world-championships-aitchison-athmani-lead-record-breaking-thursday Complete results and daily schedule from the Kobe World Para Athletics Championships are here .

Marugame, Beppu-Oita and More - Weekend Preview

After the Osaka International Women's Marathon and Osaka Half Marathon last weekend Japan's winter road season rolls on with 3 big races Sunday. The Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon has a good field up front in the women's race with 5 runners, Eilish McColgan , Dolphine Omare , Isobel Batt-Doyle , Charlotte Purdue and Yuka Ando , with sub-1:09 bests and the debut of #1 collegiate runner Sarah Wanjiru of Daito Bunka University . 3 men in Marugame have recent sub-60 times, Emmanuel Maru , Richard Etir and Kotaro Shinohara leading the way. Shinohara was one of 2 Japanese men to break 60 at Marugame last year and missed the NR by 3 seconds in 59:30. After a 42:53 CR on his 15.3 km leg at the New Year Ekiden on Jan.1, 45:06 pace for 10 miles, he's looking to pick up at least another 4 seconds this time around. 14 other men in the field are at the 60-minute level, and Chuo University 's sub-28 10000 m runner Yamato Hamaguchi is making a highly anticip...

Etir Breaks Marugame CR, Catrofe Sets Uruguay NR, Omare 3rd-Straight Win

On the one hand it was too windy for really fast times at the Marugame Half , but on the other it wasn't, apparently. It was pretty much a strong tailwind over the first 10 km and just a strong a headwind over the last 10, so it wasn't a surprise that the lead group of men went through 5 km in 13:59 and 10 km in 27:51. Up front in it were 59:30 collegiate record co-holders Richard Etir and Kotaro Shinohara , and sub-59:30 guy Emmanuel Maru . But with the National University Half Marathon having moved to Marugame last year there were a million fast Hakone kids up in it to, Hiromichi Nonaka from Koku Gakuin University leading the way but lots more right behind. Etir and Maru opened up on the field after the turnaround, and by 15 km Etir was alone, 9 seconds ahead of Maru and on sub-59 pace running into the wind. Like everyone else he struggled to keep pace in the wind, sub-59 slipping away but easily taking the win in 59:07, a CR and new collegiate record by 23 seconds. Maru e...

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