The ACN Expo Ekiden was the biggest race of the weekend domestically, but there was so much else going on domestically and internationally that it was hard to keep track. We'll do our best.
- Saturday in Fukuoka the Fst in Fukuoka road mile and 5 km moved from its usual fall date to a spring date for the first time. Ireland's Sophie O'Sullivan outran high school sensation Sherry Drury by 1 second for the win in the women's mile, 4:53 to 4:54. Drury's mark was a new U20 NR. The men's mile also came down to a 1-second win for Irishman Brian Fay over Japan's Jo Aoki, 4:12 to 4:13. Margaret Akidor had an easy win in the women's 5 km in 15:34, with veteran Yuichiro Ueno outrunning a doubling Fay in the men's 5 km to win in 14:07. Complete results here.
- The Matsue Ladies Half Marathon hosted the National University Women's Half Marathon Sunday. National champion Ritsumeikan University's Makoto Tsuchiya outran Daito Bunka University's Mariya Noda by 16 seconds for the win in 1:12:04, with top general division entrant Yumi Yoshikawa taking 3rd overall in 1:12:26 just a week after running 2:30:33 at the Nagoya Women's Marathon. Complete results.
- At the Niigata Half Marathon, Shu Nagamoto from Tokai University took a 3-way race with Shinta Miyazawa (Suzuki) and amateur Gakuto Kojima for the win in 1:03:38 with all 3 runners finishing within 7 seconds. Corporate leaguer Mayu Hirata won the women's race in 1:15:45. Complete results.
- Overseas, Naoya Sakuda (JR Higashi Nihon) had a good one at the Seoul Marathon, breaking 2:08 for the first time with a 2:07:39 PB for 8th. Amateur Ryuichi Yoshioka was 17th in 2:13:14 just 2 weeks after running a 2:10:49 PB at the Tokyo Marathon. Ayano Ikeuchi (Denso) took 8th in the women's race in 2:38:50. Complete results.
- Komazawa University's Yudai Kiyama and Hibiki Murakami ran the United Airlines NYC Half. Going through 5 km with the fastest split since NYC started bringing Japanese collegiate men in 2012, 14:11, Kiyama ultimately finished 17th in 1:04:15 almost 4 minutes off his PB. Murakami experienced ankle problems on the Brooklyn Bridge section of the course and dropped out around 9 km. Complete results.
- At the Semi-marathon de Lille, Rakunan H.S. runner Yuto Miyake took a distant 2nd in the U20 men's 5 km in 14:06, 42 seconds behind winner Sewmehon Anteneh. Teammates Yuto Inoue and Tomoya Inoue were 4th and 6th in 14:30 and 14:39, with one other teammate Tsubasa Kashima 16th in 15:23.
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Speaking of high schoolers, Rin Kubo ran in the Sydney Track Classic - World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger, 800m Women on Saturday 15 March and came in 4th with a time of 2:03.64. Australian, Claudia Hollingsworth won with a fast 1:59.30 in very warm conditions. Having exposure to tough international competition and having to fight for track position is probably a relatively rare experience for her and one that should help her in future races.
Below is a YouTube link of her race uploaded from a young fan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA8OGS9TEAo&t=7s&ab_channel=KT%27sRunningJourney