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Chuo University's Kazusa Takanuma Wins Ehime Marathon


Starting in front of the Ehime Prefectural Government building in Matsuyama and ending in Shiroyama Park, the 62nd Ehime Marathon took place Sunday. First across the finish line was Chuo University 4th-year Kazusa Takanuma in 2:13:00. Takanuma had previously run the 2023 Hokkaido Marathon, where he struggled in to a 2:43:37 finish. His win this time took over 30 minutes off that time in just his second attempt at the distance.

A native of Shizuoka, Takanuma went to Tomioka J.H.S. and Fujieda Meisei H.S. Even though he never made it to a national-level competition, after entering Chuo he began to improve. During his 2nd year he ran the half marathon at the Kanto Region University Championships, placing 22nd in the D1 race. He was never named to Chuo's starting roster for any of the major university ekidens, but at last year's Marugame Half Marathon he clocked an excellent 1:02:19 PB. After graduating next month he will join the Suzuki team, where he plans to focus on the marathon and road racing.

The women's marathon was a close race between Miku Fukuda of the Ehime Ginko team and Yuka Gito from Higo Ginko, with Fukuda getting the win in 2:35:15 in her debut at the distance and Gito 2nd in 2:35:54. "I'm really grateful to everyone who helped me get here," Fukuda told media post-race.

Translator's note: Almost simultaneously with Takanuma's win, 2024 Chuo University graduate Jin Yuasa, now running for the Toyota corporate team, won the Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon in a 2:09:43 PB, and fellow 2024 grad Shota Nakano from Honda won the Karatsu 10-Miler in 47:30.

62nd Ehime Marathon

Matsuyama, Ehime, 9 Feb. 2025

Women
1. Miku Fukuda (Ehime Ginko) - 2:35:15 - debut
2. Yuka Gito (Higo Ginko) - 2:35:54
3. Nozomi Matsumoto (Daiso) - 2:54:46
4. Shiho Yamada (unattached) - 2:56:10
5. Yako Ninomiya (Saysky) - 2:59:29
6. Ayumi Ninomiya (Matsuyama Lady RC) - 2:59:31

Men
1. Kazusa Takanuma (Chuo Univ.) - 2:13:00 - PB
2. Takaki Mori (unattached) - 2:18:32
3. Katsutaka Yamashita (Saysky) - 2:18:41
4. Haruki Okayama (Comodi Iida) - 2:19:19
5. Yoshihisa Takemura (Saysky) - 2:19:27
6. Yohei Suzuki (Aisan Kogyo) - 2:19:46

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