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Osaka International Women's Marathon Elite Field


The Osaka International Women's Marathon's 45th running is less than 2 weeks away on Jan. 25. Sub-2:20 trio Workenesh Edesa, Stella Chesang and Bedatu Hirpa make up the international component of the race, with veterans Mizuki Matsuda and Mao Uesugi the only ones close to them on paper, Matsuda with a 2:20:42 in Berlin 2 years ago and Uesugi 2:22:11 in Nagoya last year.

Bringing the most upside to the race is Mizuki Nishimura, the next big thing from the Tenmaya corporate team that NR holder Honami Maeda calls home. Nishimura set a 1:41:42 CR at the Kumanichi 30 km last February, then tested the waters with a 2:25:54 debut for the win at the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon at the beginning of December. It's a quick turnaround since then, but chances are pretty good that she'll be the one to watch for the home crowd.

There's also an interesting debut in the works from Mikuni Yada, a track runner who won bronze at last summer's Asian Championships with a 31:12.21 PB and has yet to run even a half marathon. Yada runs for the Edion corporate team that produced Ai Hosoda, 2:20:31 ahead of Matsuda in Berlin 2024 and 6th in Sydney last year, so even though it's a bit of a surprise to see Yada make the jump like this her coaching staff has the marathon credentials to back it.

Fuji TV has the official broadcast starting at 12:00 local time on the 25th, with streaming on TVer. Live 5 km splits and results will be here.

45th Osaka International Women's Marathon

Elite Field Highlights
25 Jan. 2026
times listed are athletes' best within last 3 years except where noted

Workenesh Edesa (Ethiopia) - 2:17:55 (Hamburg 2025)
Stella Chesang (Uganda) - 2:18:26 (Valencia 2024)
Bedatu Hirpa (Ethiopia) - 2:18:27 (Dubai 2025)
Mizuki Matsuda (Daihatsu) - 2:20:42 (Berlin 2024)
Mao Uesugi (Tokyo Metro) - 2:22:11 (Nagoya 2025)
Mizuki Nishimura (Tenmaya) - 2:25:54 (Hofu 2025)
Chiharu Suzuki (Hitachi) - 2:25:59 (Osaka Int'l 2023)
Madoka Nakano (Iwatani Sangyo) - 2:26:50 (Osaka Int'l 2024)
Sakiho Tsutsui (Univ. Ent.) - 2:26:51 (Rotterdam 2024)
Rie Kawauchi (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 2:28:28 (Osaka Int'l 2024)
Nanaka Izawa (Starts) - 2:29:28 (Osaka Int'l 2025)

Debut
Miu Yagi (Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:11:30 (Osaka Half 2025)
Amisa Murayama (Tohoku Fukushi Univ.) - 1:15:24 (Matsue Half 2024)
Mikuni Yada (Edion) - 31:12.21 (2025 Asian Championships 10000 m)

© 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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