Skip to main content

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

Buy Me A Coffee

 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...
Post a Comment
Read more

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...
3 comments
Read more