Murayama and Sasaki Making U.S. Debut at New York Mini 10 km

Every year since 2012 that there's been a United Airlines NYC Half, JRN has partnered with the NYRR and November's Ageo City Half Marathon to bring two top-tier collegiate Japanese men to the NYC Half for what's usually been their international debuts. For years we've wanted to extend that program to include top collegiate women, but that has always faced 2 problems. For one, while the half marathon distance is the main focus for Japanese collegiate men due to the stage lengths at the Hakone Ekiden, few collegiate women run it. Those that do run the National University Women's Half Marathon in Matsue, held the same day as the NYC Half.

This year, though, we're finally making it happen in a slightly different way. Amisa Murayama and Nazuki Sasaki of 2025 Mt. Fuji Women's Ekiden national collegiate championship runner-up Tohoku Fukushi University are joining the field for the NYRR's Mastercard New York Mini 10 km on June 6. After running an 18:14 CR for the 5.8 km 3rd leg at October's Morinomiyako Ekiden Sasaki was 2nd overall and the top Japanese finisher on the Mt. Fuji Women's Ekiden longest stage, the 10.5 km 5th leg. Murayama was 2nd overall on the Mt. Fuji anchor stage that climbs 169 m late in its 8.3 km length. Since then Murayama made her international debut with a bronze medal run in March's World University Cross-Country Championships in Italy, but for Sasaki the New York Mini will be her first-ever race outside Japan.

Head coach Masamori Kabuki will be joining them in New York, one of the more interesting young coaches currently working in Japanese athletes given his success in building a small program from nothing and coming just 9 seconds short of scoring a national title against the nation's top teams.

There's a solid field like always at the New York Mini, led by world record holder Agnes Ngetich. It's not likely we'll see either Murayama or Sasaki end up in the top 10, but given their ekiden times they should both have a shot at Ayuko Suzuki's record for the fastest-ever Japanese women's time at the New York Mini, 32:37. JRN will be on-site in NYC with them throughout race weekend.

2026 Mastercard New York Mini 10 km Elite Field Highlights

New York, U.S.A., 6 June 2026

complete field listing

times listed are athletes' best road or track times within last 3 years except where noted

Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) - 28:46 (Valencia 2024)

Tsigie Gebreselama (Ethiopia) - 29:48.34 (Los Angeles 2024)

Klara Lukan (Slovenia) - 29:51 (Ljubljana 2026)

Weini Kelati (U.S.A.) - 30:49 (New York 2025)

Emma Hurley (U.S.A.) - 31:00 (Tokyo 2025)

Jessica McClain (U.S.A.) - 31:13 (Mesa 2026)

Wuga He (China) - 31:14.94 (Walnut 2023)

Hellen Obiri (Kenya) - 31:16 (Manchester 2025)

Amanda Vestri (U.S,A.) - 31:17 (New. York 2024)

Annie Frisbie (U.S.A.) - 31:37 (Charleston 2026)

Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) - 31:39 (Boston 2025)

Annie Rodenfels (U.S.A.) - 31:54 (Boston 2024)

Ednah Kurgat (U.S.A.) - 31:56 (Miramar 2025)

Dakotah Popehn (U.S.A.) - 31:58 (New York 2024)

Emily Venters (U.S.A.) - 32:11 (Boston 2024)

Viola Cheptoo (Kenya) - 32:13 (Atlanta 2022)

Amisa Murayama (Japan) - 32:15.10 (Osaka 2025)

Fionnuala McCormack (Ireland) - 32:19 (Malaga 2022)

Sydney Vaught (U.S.A.) - 32:21.37 (Eugene 2025)

Callie Hughes (U.S.A.) - 32:21.54 (Walnut 2025)

Stephanie Bruce (U.S.A.) - 32:22.45 (London 2024)

Tess Barrett (U.S.A.) - 32:27 (Philadelphia 2026)

Rachel Smith (U.S.A.) - 32:35 (Cape Elizabeth 2024)

Mercy Chelangat (Kenya) - 32:37 (Boston 2024)

Nazuki Sasaki (Japan) - 32:48 (equiv., Mt. Fuji Women's Ekiden 2025)

Sophia King (U.S.A.) - 32:59.93 (Portland 2025)

Madison Offstein (U.S.A.) - 33:09.78 (Azusa 2025)

Elena Haydar (U.S.A.) - 33:30 (Boston 2024)

Katarina Birimac (U.S.A.) - 33:48.47 (Philadelphia 2025)

Lisa Hart (Great Britain) - 34:05 (Winter Park 2026)

Gabi Rooker (U.S.A.) - 34:11 (Charleston 2026)

National University Championships Entry Lists and Streaming

The 95th National University Track and Field Championships run Friday through Monday at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. The complete meet schedule and live results are here . The 10000 m races were already held separately earlier this season. Streaming starts at 9:00 a.m. Saturday Japan time, with separate field event channels and Day 2 and 3 streaming here . Top entries in each event with best performance in the qualifying window: Men 100 m Shoma Yamamoto (Hiroshima Univ.) - 10.04 Fukuto Komuro (Chuo Univ.) - 10.07 Naoki Nishioka (Tsukuba Univ.) - 10.09 Riku Oishi (Toyo Univ.) - 10.13 Kaito Kuroki (Chuo Univ.) - 10.14 Ryunosuke Mizuno (Waseda Univ.) - 10.14 Yugo Haitamataira (Juntendo Univ.) - 10.17 Shun Miyashita (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 10.19 200 m Akira Hayashi (Keio Univ.) - 20.36 Tomoru Funaki (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 20.39 Oma Asai (Tsukuba Univ.) - 20.47 Reishin Yamamoto (Toyo Univ.) - 20.49 Shingo Suzuki (Tokai Univ.) - 20.54 Haruto Nakamura (Fukuoka Univ.) - 20.55 400 m Shinya Hayashi...

Yuasa and Niiya Win Hokkaido Marathon, 6 Qualify for Olympic Trials

Six more people picked up qualifying spots for next year's MGC Race at yesterday's Hokkaido Marathon in Sapporo, guaranteeing themselves places at Japan's 2028 Los Angeles Olympics marathon trials. In the men's race, Hibiki Yoshida tried to break away from the massive lead group at 30 km, opening a 25-second lead between there and 35 km before getting cut down by the chase trio of Jin Yuasa , Ken Tansho and Masato Arao . All three stayed together until the very end, Yuasa showing the same kind of closing speed he had in winning 2025 Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon and pulling away to win in 2:10:46. The debuting Tansho was next in 2:10:55, with Arao, 6th at last year's Sydney Marathon in an excellent 2:07:42, 3rd here in 2:10:59. By clearing 2:12:00 all three picked up MGC qualifying spots, freeing them up to go overseas next spring. Continuing a great season, Soka University 's Shoki Yamaguchi was 4th in 2:11:47, missing out on trials qualification but bea...

Monterey Welcomes Student-Athletes from Sister City Nanao, Japan

a press release by the Monterey-Nanao Cross Country Exchange Project photos here Fourteen student-athletes from Nanao High School in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, recently completed a weeklong visit to the Monterey Peninsula as part of the Monterey–Nanao Cross Country Exchange Project , bringing together young people from the two Sister Cities through running, education, environmental stewardship, cultural exchange, and friendship. The seven boys and seven girls from Nanao were paired with 14 members of the Monterey High School cross country team and stayed in their homes throughout the visit. The week marked the first half of a reciprocal exchange that will continue when the Monterey students travel to Nanao later this year. The visitors received their first introduction to Monterey shortly after arriving at Monterey High School, walking with their hosts to Sister City Park and gathering for photographs beside the sign honoring Nanao — a fitting beginning for a week devoted to bringin...

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