Marathon Weekend Roundup

Alongside the weekend's 2 big 30 km races and college ekiden action, 4 of Japan's big mass-participation races with quality sub-elite fields happened across the country. The Kitakyushu Marathon just north of Fukuoka saw the fastest men's race up front, with Toyo University's Mashu Nishimura scoring the win in his debut in 2:16:14, outrunning Rio Olympian Hisanori Kitajima by 2 minutes. The Daihatsu corporate team's Yuki Shibata had a decent debut to win the women's race in 2:40:36.

The only one of the 4 marathons to be on the World Athletics calendar and visible to the rest of the world, the Kumamoto Castle men's race was almost as fast as in Kitakyushu, with amateur Hiroaki Furukawa taking a 5th win in 2:16:56 and 3 others under 2:20 like in Kitakyushu. Another amateur, women's winner Michiru Kato took her 5th win too, running a CR and PB 2:42:00.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., the Kyoto Marathon had the fastest Japanese women's time of the weekend as Miyu Fukada of local Ritsumeikan University won by almost 6 minutes in a 2:37:39 CR. Local amateur Yuma Morii won for the 3rd time, the only won to break 2:20 at 2:17:38.

The Kochi Ryoma Marathon's women's race saw Hong Kong triathlete Leanne Szeto win in a PB 2:43:20 almost 5 minutes up on Japan's Mizuha Otaru. The men's race was a close one, with Takemaru Yamasaki edging Naoya Takayama by 8 seconds to win in 2:19:12.

Kitakyushu Marathon

Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 15 Feb. 2026

complete results

Men

1. Mashu Nishimura - 2:16:14 - debut

2. Hisanori Kitajima - 2:18:16

3. Keiichiro Tomomori - 2:18:40 - PB

4. Kohei Okada - 2:18:41 - PB

Women

1. Yuki Shibata - 2:40:36 - debut

2. Miho Hiraizumi - 2:41:20 - debut

3. Riko Ozawa - 2:47:54 - debut

Kumamoto Castle Marathon

Kumamoto, 15 Feb. 2026

complete results

Men

1. Hiroaki Furukawa - 2:16:56

2. Hyuma Abe - 2:18:08 - PB

3. Junpei Kato - 2:18:42 - PB

4. Takayuki Matsuura - 2:19:57 - debut

Women

1. Michiru Kato - 2:42:00 - CR, PB

2. Rui Miike - 2:48:44 - PB

3. Kanami Shigemoto - 2:50:18 - PB

Kyoto Marathon

Kyoto, 15 Feb. 2026

complete results

Men

1. Yuma Morii - 2:17:38

2. Tatsuya Itagaki - 2:20:56

3. Seiya Kusaka - 2:21:09

Women

1. Miyu Fukada - 2:37:39 - CR

2. Fuka Hirokawa - 2:43:25

3. Mikiko Ota - 2:50:06

Kochi Ryoma Marathon

Kochi, 15 Feb. 2026

complete results

Men

1. Takemaru Yamasaki - 2:19:12

2. Naoya Takayama - 2:19:20 - debut

3. Munehiro Harada - 2:20:46 - debut

Women

1. Leanne Szeto (Hong Kong) - 2:43:20 - PB

2. Mizuha Otaru - 2:48:12

3. Haruka Yamaguchi - 2:53:44

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...

Hakone Ekiden Qualifying Race Entry Roster Sizes Increased from 14 to 16

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Nomura and Odagiri Go 3-4 at Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km

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