Nyiva and Wolde Win Gifu Seiryu Half

Two good races happened Sunday at the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon. The women's race was a head-to-head race between 2022 marathon world champion Gotytom Gebreslase and debuting Japan-based Janet Nyiva. Side-by-side through 15 km, Nyiva shattered Gebreslase with a massive surge over the last 5 km that ultimately put 52 second between them, Nyiva wining in 1:07:37 and Gebreslase next in 1:08:29.

2023 Asian marathon champion Eunice Chebichii Chumba held off the up-and-coming Kana Kobayashi, a member of Japan's marathon team for September's Tokyo World Championships, with a 1:09:07 for 3rd. Kobayashi's 1:09:09 for 4th was a PB by almost 5 minutes and the fastest time ever on the rolling Gifu course by a Japanese woman. Yumi Yoshikawa was 5th in 1:10:51.

Five men went out front on mid-59 pace. Dawit Wolde, debuting Kiprono Sitonik, Vincent Yegon and veteran Bedan Karoki all took turns leading, with only Richard Kimunyan tucking in and declining to share the load. As in the women's race Wolde and Sitonik broke away with a long surge over the last 5 km, and Wolde had the wheels in the final km to take the win in 1:00:06 to Sitonik's 1:00:13. Yegon and Kimunan were both under 62 minutes in 3rd and 4th, with Karoki just holding off 2025 corporate marathon champion Tsubasa Ichiyama for 5th in 1:02:12.

Out fast, Ichiyama settled into a comfortable solo pace after 10 km, only to be caught by Masashi Nonaka at 19 km. Ichiyama responded with a surge to reopen 19 seconds on for 6th and top Japanese in 1:02:21. Both Ichiyama and Yoshikawa will be running next month's Launceston Running Festival half marathon in Tasmania, Australia.

Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon

Gifu, 27 April 2025

complete women's results

complete men's results

Women

1. Janet Nyiva (Kenya/Pansonic) - 1:07:37 - debut

2. Gotytom Gebreslase (Ethiopia) - 1:08:29

3. Eunice Chebichii Chumba (Bahrain) - 1:09:07

4. Kana Kobayashi (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 1:09:09 - PB

5. Yumi Yoshikawa (Aichi T&F Assoc.) - 1:10:51

6. Mio Kuroda (Kyocera) - 1:11:26

7. Miu Yagi (Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:11:40

8. Mizuki Matsuda (Daihatsu) - 1:11:46

9. Yuna Arai (Sekisui Kagaku) - 1:12:47

10. Erina Yasui (Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:13:20

11. Mirai Waku (Universal Ent.) - 1:14:08

12. Rinka Hida (Daiichi Seimei) - 1:15:15

13. Natsuki Ogawa (Suzuki) - 1:15:32

14. Mao Kiyota (Suzuki) - 1:16:45

15. Misaki Matsumoto (Chukyo Gakuin Univ.) - 1:17:15

Men

1. Dawit Wolde (Ethiopia) - 1:00:06

2. Kiprono Sitonik (Kenya/Kurosaki Harima) - 1:00:13 - debut

3. Vincent Yegon (Kenya/Honda) - 1:01:17

4. Richard Kimunyan (Kenya/Logisteed) - 1:01:57

5. Bedan Karoki (Kenya/Toyota) - 1:02:12

6. Tsubasa Ichiyama (Sunbelx) - 1:02:21

7. Masashi Nonaki (Toyota) - 1:02:40

8. Yeneblo Biyazen (Ethiopia/Hiramatsu Byoin) - 1:02:44

9. Benard Kimani (Kenya/Comodi Iida) - 1:02:45

10. Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Harima) - 1:02:45

11. Yuta Shitara (Nishitetsu) - 1:02:53

12. Shun Sadakata (Mazda) - 1:02:56

13. Mizuki Higashi (Aisan Kogyo) - 1:03:07

14. Maru Teferi (Israel) - 1:03:09

15. Taisei Kato (Asahi Kasei) - 1:03:32

Keita Sato Joins Swoosh TC

After appearing at a Nike event on Apr. 3, U20 1500 m NR and indoor 3000 m and 5000 m NR holder Keita Sato , 22, updated his Instagram profile to announce that he is joining Nike's Swoosh TC . At the Nike event Sato said that he plans to run the 1500 m at the Apr. 11 Kanaguri Memorial Meet, then will move to the U.S. "To be successful at the global level I need to train and grow alongside world-class athletes," he said. "I have to take every day seriously in order to achieve that dream of being internationally competitive." Swoosh TC was founded last year. Its coach Mike Smith has guided many athletes to international championships, including prior to Swoosh TC's launch, with some earning medals and podium finishes under his leadership. photo © 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved source article: https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/204241/2 translated by Brett Larner

Weekend Track Roundup

There were 2 decently competitive meets in the Tokyo area this weekend. Saturday saw the new year's first edition of the Setagaya Time Trials meet. Takuma Akiyoshi took the men's 3000 m A-heat over his MABP Maverick teammate Festus Kiprono Cheruiyot with a 7:58.32 PB. Cheruiyot just held off 3rd-placer Nao Kurihara 7:59.92 to 8:00.02, with MABP runners taking the top 5 spots. The top 7 in the men's 5000 m A-heat all cleared 14 minutes. Still a 6-way race with 400 m to go, Tatsuya Maruyama of Komori Corp. came out on top in 13:48.49, with 5th-placer Kazuki Ishii of Yakult just over a second behind in 13:49.63. Lacking the gear to stay with them, new American marathon sensation Ethan Shuley fell back to 6th in 13:57.12 in his first-ever track 5000 m, holding off 7th-placer Daiki Nomimura of NTT Nishi Nihon who came up from behind to finish in 13:58.30. Sunday was the 59th edition of the Tokyo Big 6 meet between Waseda University , Meiji University , Hosei Univers...

Kipyegon and Yamaguchi Win Kanto Regionals D1 and D2 Half Marathon Titles

The men's half marathon component of the Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships relocated this year away from the main part of the meet in May to be held as part of the Yaizu Minato Half Marathon in Shizuoka, a longstanding part of the collegiate half marathon calendar with its Pair Marathon team competition. At Kanto Regionals D1 and D2 teams are usually split into 2 separate starts with a time stagger and run on a loop course. This time around they started together, giving people who wouldn't usually be racing together the chance to go head-to-head. Soka University 3rd-year Shoki Yamaguchi was the only one to try to go with Yamanashi Gakuin University 4th-year Brian Kipyegon , both hitting 5 km in 14:28 before Kipyegon said goodbye. Kipyegon rolled on solo to take the D1 title in 1:01:23, just 9 seconds off his own meet record on a different course. Yamaguchi hung on well enough for 1st in the D2 field in 1:02:55, runner-up Kuranosuke Yoshida of last year...

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