Skip to main content

Chuo Gakuin Captain Hiro Konda Wins Tachikawa Half in 1:02:11


The Tachikawa City Half Marathon took place Sunday, Mar. 9 in Showa Kinen Park, Tokyo. Chuo Gakuin University's new 2025-26 season captain Hiro Konda ran 1:02:11 to take the overall win. 2nd last year, Kondo showed the growth of his strength. "We all ran with the image of the Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai* in our minds," he said. "Every second, every meter mattered, so I was totally focused on winning." Yuta Asakawa of Teikyo University was 2nd in 1:02:29, with Yusei Tomita of Nihon University 3rd in 1:02:47.

With the win the priority over time, Konda's plan was to take the lead in middle of the race once they hit the hillier part of the course. But feeling that the pace was too slow while he looked for a place to make a move, Konda picked it up on a downhill with about 3 km to go. "Just like I expected, I started to pull away, so I pushed it from there," he said.

The Tachikawa City Half had hosted the National University Men's Half Marathon Championships since 2003, but this year the collegiate championships relocated to February's Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon. "There wasn't much strong competition this time," said Konda. "Coach Kawasaki gave me directions before the race, and I just aimed to take 1st."

Konda takes over as captain from its star runner Reishi Yoshida, who graduates this month. "I have to be the most reliable person on the team," Konda said. "I'm especially careful about my lifestyle and my attitude toward training. I showed the younger guys on the team what it's like to go out front today. Hopefully that'll inspire them to step up and want to do their best too."

Of the new team for next year Konda said that things are gearing up smoothly. "Everyone has a feeling of urgency. They're coming up with creative ways to improve their training on their own and to work on the areas where they're lacking." Chuo Gakuin's goal for the season is to make top 3 at the Yosenkai and earn a qualifying spot at the 2026 Hakone Ekiden. "I want us to be able to smile at the end of the season and feel no regrets," Konda said. "We'll do our best to make that goal a reality."

*The Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai is a half marathon held in October on almost the same course as the Tachikawa City Half and determines which schools qualify for that season's Hakone Ekiden.

Tachikawa City Half Marathon

Showa Kinen Park, Tachikawa, Tokyo, 9 Mar. 2025

Men
1. Hiro Konda (Chuo Gakuin University) - 1:02:11
2. Yuta Asakawa (Teikyo University) - 1:02:29
3. Yusei Tomita (Nihon University) - 1:02:47
4. Soma Nagahara (Juntendo University) - 1:02:57
5. Ikuto Shimizu (Hosei University) - 1:02:58
6. Keiji Hanaoka (Hosei University) - 1:02:59

Women
1. Saki Shimada (Team Shimada) - 1:19:27
2. Tomomi Musembi Nakashima (unattached) - 1:20:50
3. Rina Yonetsu (unattached) - 1:23:57

source article:

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...
Post a Comment
Read more

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...
3 comments
Read more