3 Top-Tier Japanese Collegiate Runners in United Airlines NYC Half Elite Field

The NYRR have announced the elite fields for the 2025 United Airlines NYC Half, and 3 top-tier runners from Japanese universities feature prominently in the men's field. Having just lost his 59:32 collegiate record to Komazawa University's Kotaro Shinohara in Marugame earlier this month, collegiate 5000 m and 10000 m record holder Richard Etir of Tokyo Kokusai University heads to New York fresh off a 1:05:31 CR on the 23.1 km Hakone Ekiden Second Stage, equivalent to a 59:50 half marathon on a rolling net uphill course. That should predict success on the tough NYC course. He'll be the main competition for newly crowned American record holder Connor Mantz, 59:17 in Houston at the end of January, with defending champ and sub-59 man Abel Kipchumba in contention too after a 59:52 win at last year's Great North Run. Sub-27 10000 m men Mohammed Ahmed and Woody Kincaid are also debuting.

Komazawa teammates Yudai Kiyama and Hibiki Murakami earned spots in New York with breakthrough runs at November's Ageo City Half Marathon as part of JRN's partnership with the NYRR and Ageo. Kiyama was 2nd in 1:01:59 and Murakami 4th in 1:02:04, both PBs. At Hakone Kiyama was 2nd again on the 21.3 km First Stage in 1:02:39, with Murakami 5th on the 23.1 km Ninth Stage. Both broke through again at Marugame earlier this month, Kiyama was a stellar 1:00:32 that saw him go from 15th to 10th in the last km and Murakami running a 1:01:46 PB. For both it will be the first time racing outside Japan.

United Airlines NYC Half

Elite Men's Field Highlights

New York, U.S.A., 16 March 2025

times listed are athletes' best in last 3 years except where noted

Conner Mantz (U.S.A.) - 59:17 (Houston 2025)

Richard Etir (Kenya/Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) - 59:32 (Marugame 2024)

Abel Kipchumba (Kenya) - 59:52 (Great North Run 2024)

Patrick Dever (Great Britain) - 1:00:11 (Houston 2025)

Hillary Bor (U.S.A.) - 1:00:20 (Houston 2025)

Yudai Kiyama (Japan/Komazawa Univ.) - 1:00:32 (Marugame 2025)

Wesley Kiptoo (Kenya) - 1:00:34 (Houston 2025)

Biya Simbassa (U.S.A.) - 1:00:37 (Valencia 2023)

Reed Fischer (U.S.A.) - 1:00:54 (Houston 2025)

Ben Flanagan (Canada) - 1:01:00 (Valencia 2022)

Alex Masai (Kenya) - 1:01:04 (Houston 2025)

Jack Rowe (Great Britain) - 1:01:08 (Greenwich 2023)

Yemane Haileselassie (Eritrea) - 1:01:34 (Houston 2024)

Hibiki Murakami (Japan/Komazawa. Univ.) - 1:01:46 (Marugame 2025)

Tristan Woodfine (Canada) - 1:02:40 (Boston 2023)

Andrew Davies (Canada) - 1:03:05 (Vancouver 2025)

Jose Mauricio Gonzalez (Colombia) - 1:03:07 (Caracas 2023)

Connor Winter (U.S.A.) - 1:03:10 (NYC 2023)

Charlie Sweeney (U.S.A.) - 1:03:31 (Indianapolis 2023)

Liam Dee (Great Britain) - 1:03:43 (Valencia 2024)

Nick Hauger (U.S.A.) - 1:03:48 (Great North Run 2024)

Tim McGowan (U.S.A.) - 1:03:54 (Philadelphia 2023)

Debut

Mohammed Ahmed (Canada) - 26:43.79 (Paris Olympics 10000 m 2024)

Woody Kincaid (U.S.A.) - 26:57.57 (The TEN 10000 m 2024)

Luke Combs (U.S.A.) - 28:24.84 (Palo Alto 10000 m 2024)

National University Championships Entry Lists and Streaming

The 95th National University Track and Field Championships run Friday through Monday at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. The complete meet schedule and live results are here . The 10000 m races were already held separately earlier this season. Streaming starts at 9:00 a.m. Saturday Japan time, with separate field event channels and Day 2 and 3 streaming here . Top entries in each event with best performance in the qualifying window: Men 100 m Shoma Yamamoto (Hiroshima Univ.) - 10.04 Fukuto Komuro (Chuo Univ.) - 10.07 Naoki Nishioka (Tsukuba Univ.) - 10.09 Riku Oishi (Toyo Univ.) - 10.13 Kaito Kuroki (Chuo Univ.) - 10.14 Ryunosuke Mizuno (Waseda Univ.) - 10.14 Yugo Haitamataira (Juntendo Univ.) - 10.17 Shun Miyashita (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 10.19 200 m Akira Hayashi (Keio Univ.) - 20.36 Tomoru Funaki (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 20.39 Oma Asai (Tsukuba Univ.) - 20.47 Reishin Yamamoto (Toyo Univ.) - 20.49 Shingo Suzuki (Tokai Univ.) - 20.54 Haruto Nakamura (Fukuoka Univ.) - 20.55 400 m Shinya Hayashi...

Yuasa and Niiya Win Hokkaido Marathon, 6 Qualify for Olympic Trials

Six more people picked up qualifying spots for next year's MGC Race at yesterday's Hokkaido Marathon in Sapporo, guaranteeing themselves places at Japan's 2028 Los Angeles Olympics marathon trials. In the men's race, Hibiki Yoshida tried to break away from the massive lead group at 30 km, opening a 25-second lead between there and 35 km before getting cut down by the chase trio of Jin Yuasa , Ken Tansho and Masato Arao . All three stayed together until the very end, Yuasa showing the same kind of closing speed he had in winning 2025 Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon and pulling away to win in 2:10:46. The debuting Tansho was next in 2:10:55, with Arao, 6th at last year's Sydney Marathon in an excellent 2:07:42, 3rd here in 2:10:59. By clearing 2:12:00 all three picked up MGC qualifying spots, freeing them up to go overseas next spring. Continuing a great season, Soka University 's Shoki Yamaguchi was 4th in 2:11:47, missing out on trials qualification but bea...

Monterey Welcomes Student-Athletes from Sister City Nanao, Japan

a press release by the Monterey-Nanao Cross Country Exchange Project photos here Fourteen student-athletes from Nanao High School in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, recently completed a weeklong visit to the Monterey Peninsula as part of the Monterey–Nanao Cross Country Exchange Project , bringing together young people from the two Sister Cities through running, education, environmental stewardship, cultural exchange, and friendship. The seven boys and seven girls from Nanao were paired with 14 members of the Monterey High School cross country team and stayed in their homes throughout the visit. The week marked the first half of a reciprocal exchange that will continue when the Monterey students travel to Nanao later this year. The visitors received their first introduction to Monterey shortly after arriving at Monterey High School, walking with their hosts to Sister City Park and gathering for photographs beside the sign honoring Nanao — a fitting beginning for a week devoted to bringin...

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