Rotich and Chelal Win Kobe Marathon, American Shuley 2nd in 2:11:30

Kenyans Elisha Rotich and Jackline Chelal made it a Kenyan double at the Kobe Marathon, Rotich outrunning American Ethan Shuley by 28 seconds for the win in 2:11:02 and Chelal with an almost 2-minute lead in 2:28:25.

The men's race started off with a lead group of 11, going through 10 km in 30:10 and halfway in 1:03:38. Wearing a mass-participation bib and starting 6 seconds back from the elites, Shuley, whose previous best was a 2:18:13 in Nagano this past April and who has only 2 other races on his World Athletics profile in the last 10 years, both indoor 3000 m, improbably led through 25 km in 1:15:19, 2:07:07 pace, before losing touch. Ethiopian Abay Alemu surged into the lead, only to get run down by Rotich just after 30 km and ultimately dropping out.

Rotich slowed after moving into the top spot but held his margin over Shuley to win 2:11:02 to 2:11:30. Hiromasa Kumahashi (Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) was 3rd in 2:11:45, closing on Shuley fast but running out of ground before getting to him.

The heavy favorite Chelal and the debuting Deborah Samum were together through 15 km in 51:16 before Chelal dropped Samum, steadily opening her lead the rest of the way to win in 2:28:25. Samum was 2nd in 2:30:16, with Kokone Sakai (Sysmex) debuting in 2:35:22 for 3rd. Further back, 67-year-old Mariko Yugeta set a new age group WR of 2:59:02, more than 2 minutes faster than her own 65-69 WR and the oldest-ever sub-3 by a woman.

Kobe Marathon

Kobe, Hyogo, 16 Nov. 2025

complete results

Men

1. Elisha Rotich (Kenya) - 2:11:02

2. Ethan Shuley (U.S.A.) - 2:11:30 - PB

3. Hiromasa Kumahashi (Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 2:11:45

4. Takuya Kumashiro (Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 2:13:17 - PB

5. Taisei Kato (Asahi Kasei) - 2:15:37

6. Keisuke Yokota (Team Nitro) - 2:15:46

7. Daichi Atsuura (ND Software) - 2:15:52

8. Masami Nagakura (Kurosaki Harima) - 2:15:59 - PB

9. Tomohiro Kaijo (Kanazawa City Hall) - 2:16:24

10. Takeru Ikka (Jupiter RC) - 2:17:46 - PB

-----

DNF - Abay Alemu (Ethiopia)

DNF - Josphat Kiprotich (Kenya)

DNF - Martin Musau (Uganda)

Women

1. Jackline Chelal (Kenya) - 2:28:25

2. Deborah Samum (Kenya) - 2:30:16 - debut

3. Kokone Sakai (Sysmex) - 2:35:22 - debut

4. Natsuki Ogawa (Suzuki) - 2:36:24 - PB

5. Kotomi Tsubokura (Wacoal) - 2:39:00

6. Haruna Takano (PTC) - 2:39:54

7. Catherine Wanjiru Njunge (Kenya) - 2:40:30 - PB

8. Riine Ringi (Estonia) - 2:41:24

9. Ayaka Furukawa (Saysky) - 2:44:16 - PB

10. Runa Toya (Josai Kokusai Univ.) - 2:47:11 - debut

-----

Mariko Yugeta - 2:59:02 - age group WR

Arao Becomes 1st Man in 40 Years to Score Back-to-Back Ome Road Race Wins

30 km is an under-appreciated distance, and both of Japan's big races at that distance happened Sunday. At the Ome Road Race in western Tokyo's mountains, Sydney Marathon 6th-placer Masato Arao (ND Software) became the first man since the great Kunimitsu Ito in 1985-1986 to win back-to-back years. Arao, who finished 39th of 40 on his leg at the New Year Ekiden last month, stayed in the pack through 20 km before going on the attack, putting over a minute on New Year Ekiden Sixth Stage CR breaker Yudai Shimazu (GMO). Sub-1:31 winning times are rare on the tough and hilly Ome course, but Arao's 1:30:54 almost equaled his 1:30:50 from last year, making him the first Japanese man ever to do it twice and second only to CR holder Ezekiel Cheboitibin . Next up Arao races the Tokyo Marathon, where he is targeting sub-2:06. Shimazu was 2nd in 1:31:58 and Yuta Nakayama (JR Higashi Nihon) 3rd in 1:32:07. Cheboitibin was only 9th, running almost 8 minutes off his CR in 1:36:42. Shi...

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