It looked like it was going to be a big weekend, and it delivered. For the 3rd time in his career Suguru Osako broke the men's marathon NR, running 1 second under the standing record to take 4th in the Valencia Marathon in 2:04:55. All the way to 40 km he was steady on 2:58/km, 2:05:10 pace, and like a surprising number of other people in both the men's and women's races, there was a massive jump over the last 2.195 km from his projected finish time to his actual one.
His run put Osako back on top of the Japanese charts, put the average of Japan's 10 fastest marathon times of the year under 2:06 for the first time, and got him into the L.A. Olympics marathon trials. Valencia has been trying to get top-tier Japanese athletes to come for years, and now that they finally managed to do it it paid off in a big way. Expect more next year.
Back home, former Takushoku University captain Derese Workneh won a 3-way race against Toyota teammates Kazuya Nishiyama and Bedan Karoki at the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon, setting a course record and PB 2:06:58 for the win. The race was out on 2:07-flat pace, and what was at first a pack of over 20 shook down to a head-to-head between Workneh and Karoki. Only Workneh could sustain it though, and when Karoki faded Nishiyama was there to pick up 2nd in 2:07:49. Karoki took 3rd in 2:08:04, Yuta Koyama landing 4th in 2:08:19 and Junnosuke Matsuo the only other athlete under 2:10 at 5th in 2:09:55.
By clearing 2:09:00 both Nishiyama and Matsuo picked up places at the Olympic Trials alongside Osako. Workneh added the Hofu title to his win at the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon last year, and with a 2:06 to his name now Fukuoka has to be in his sights next year.
Only one Olympic Trials spot was up for grabs in Hofu for women, and in her marathon debut favorite Mizuki Nishimura, the next big thing from the Tenmaya corporate team, easily cleared the 2:27:00 time requirement with a controlled 2:25:54 for the win. Most of the way she had company from Ayumi Morita, 2:31:38 in Tokyo last year, but even though Morita ran a big PB of 2:26:48 for 2nd she didn't join Nishimura on the Trials list. Look for Nishimura to double at the Osaka International Women's Marathon next month.
Once the premier race of the season, the Fukuoka International Marathon was a pale 3rd behind Valencia and Hofu today. With 2 of the 3 fastest Japanese men in Hofu having taken the top 2 Japanese spots there, the same thing happened in Fukuoka. Having just a 2:08:56 PB coming into the race, Bayelign Teshager ground down Yusuke Nishiyama, 2:06:31 in Tokyo last year, and Kyohei Hosoya, 2:05:58 at Osaka in February. Nishiyama lasted until 40 km, but Teshager got away from him just before 40 km, going on to win 2:07:51 to 2:07:56. Hosoya hung on for 3rd in 2:08:09, with Takumi Oishi 4th in a 2:08:51 PB and his Suzuki teammate Vincent Raimoi the only other runner to break 2:10 at 2:09:25 for 5th.
Nishiyama, Hosoya and Oishi all qualified for the Olympic Trials, bringing the total number of men's qualifiers so far to 10. And Oishi running 2:08:51 marked the first time that 2012 Olympian Arata Fujiwara has managed to coach a Japanese athlete under the 2:10 barrier. But overall it was hard not to feel a little sad at seeing where Fukuoka really stands now in the sport.
At the Kumamoto Kosa 10-Miler, Hakone Ekiden great Vincent Yegon won a close one, edging Evans Keitany and Kento Nishi to win in 45:52. Keitany was just behind in 45:53, with Nishi joining the short list of Japanese men who have broken 46 minutes with a 45:55 for 3rd. In the men's 10 km, Mangata Kibet won another close race, finishing 1 second ahead of Victor Kiptum 28:28 to 28:29. Ken Nakayama took the top Japanese spot at 5th in 28:54, with high schoolers Enishi Sonoki and Rintaro Horaguchi break 30 minutes in 29:52 and 29:57. The women's 5 km was even closer, Yuzu Nishide outleaning Minami Nishiyama, both clocking 15:21 but Nishide getting the win and taking 4 seconds off the relatively weak national record.
A lot more women were in action Saturday at the Edion Distance Challenge meet in Osaka, where the 10000 m had the biggest results. The top 3 went under 31 minutes, Caroline Kariba getting the win in 30:43.42, Tabitha Njeri Kamau next in 30:50.99, and 5000 m NR holder Nozomi Tanaka coming in at all-time Japanese #7 with a 30:54.40 for 3rd. Wakana Kabasawa also picked up all-time Japanese #10 at 4th in 31:03.14. The top 11 broke 32 minutes, and Ayami Yoshida ran 32:38.74 for 20th, the 2nd-fastest-ever by a Japanese high schooler. Momoa Yamada won the 5000 m A-heat in 15:26.98, with Margaret Ekalale taking the 3000 m in 9:13.38.
© 2025 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
Comments
Smashing run by Suguru Osako. He gave it everything to the last metre to get that record! Well done to him.
As for the women, Minami Nishiyama and Yuzuki Nishide were outstanding to beat Nozomi Tanaka's 5K Road National Record of 15:25 with a 15:21. Last week I was lamenting about Nishiyama's somewhat disappointing run in the NGC 5000m event. Very pleased to see her bounce back in a big way with this effort. I have no doubt her 3000m SC time will improve next year.
The Edion Distance Challenge 10000m race lived up to my expectations. I was totally taken aback by the ease at which Nozomi Tanaka bettered her PB in a big way (previously 31:59.89 set in 2021!) and went under 31 minutes in the process. Regarding the three I had my eyes on closely, Kana Mizumoto (previous PB 32:15.57), Miu Saito (10000m debut race) and Wakana Kabasawa (previous PB 31:45.19) it was PBs all round. I expected Kabasawa to drop off the pace but not only did she hold strong she finished in her trademark sprint, 31:03.14 is outstanding. Even more pleasing was seeing Mizumoto clock 31:07.21 closely followed by Saito 31:08.28. (Kabasawa's Queen's Ekiden performance has me stumped.) Adding Ririka Hironaka, Rino Goshima and Mikuni Yada to the mix then you have a highly competitive 10000m race next year where it is next to impossible to pick a winner. I'm hoping given the progression of the younger athletes a time of 30:30 to 30:45 could be required to win it. If Mizumoto, Saito or even Kabasawa can break 15 min in the 5000m then perhaps we will see something special in the later half of 2026? The only disappointment from the Edion Distance live stream was the coverage of the finish where I hoped we would see more of the fight in positions between Kabasawa, Mizumoto and Saito. Credit must also go to Risa Yamazaki who ran very well to finish in 31:18.54 (previous PB 31:50.13 in 2023).
Would be fun seeing Kuroda, Hirabayashi, Akasaki and others running there in the future. I would add Hibiki Yoshida, japanese fastest ever guy on the Hakone scond stage but seems like he disappeared: I read he decided to not go corporate but become a professional runner anyway but couldn't find a single result by him in 2025 after Hakone. Read he aimed at a medal for LA 2028 but no news since Hakone indeed. If you have any update about him too on one of the articles, it would be interesting to read about him too.
Anyway kudos to Osako for the NR and solid marathon results elsewhere.
I also greatly enjoyed the 10,000s at the Edion Distance Challenge. Further down the fields there were a load of huge PBs and the "B" race was excellent too. Across the 2 races, 26 Japanese women broke 32:30. Brilliant depth!