Shikama and Njeri Win Sendai International Half Marathon

Shunsuke Shikama (Logisteed) and Tabitha Njeri Kamau (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) won the Sendai International Half Marathon Sunday in Sendai, Shikama in 1:01:31 and Njeri in 1:09:20. Mizuki Nishimura (Tenmaya) was the top Japanese woman at 2nd overall.

The men's race went through 5 km in 14:34 and 10 km in 29:22. Shikama ran alongside top competition including Shoki Yamaguchi (Soka Univ.), who has been running well in half marathons this season, and Tokyo World Championships marathon team member Naoki Koyama (Honda). On a course with many small ups and downs, Shikama attacked on a downhill just after 15 km, quickly breaking free of the lead group of 7. 13 seconds up by 20 km, Shikama covered the last 1.0975 km in 3:06 to seal his first Sendai title.

A graduate of Juntendo University, Shikama is in his 4th season with Logisteed. At the 2024 National Corporate Half Marathon he ran 1:00:41, and at last year's East Japan Corporate Ekiden he won the Third Stage. In his marathon debut in Osaka this past February he ran 2:07:45, and he next plans to target qualifying for the MGC Race Los Angeles Olympics marathon trials. "Winning here today gives me a lot of confidence," he said post-race.

Hitoshi Okahara (Chudenko) was 2nd in 1:01:46, with Yamaguchi 3rd in 1:01:51. Koyama dropped to 7th in 1:02:31.

In the women's race Njeri broke free of the rest of the field after only 7 km and sailed on to the win. After going through 10 km in 33:34 Nishimura picked up the pace in the 2nd half, ultimately finishing in 1:10:30. Kaede Kawamura (Iwatani Sangyo) was 3rd in 1:10:34.

Sendai International Half Marathon

Sendai, Miyagi, 10 May 2026

complete results

Men

1. Shunsuke Shikama (Logisteed) - 1:01:31

2. Hitoshi Okahara (Chudenko) - 1:01:46

3. Shoki Yamaguchi (Soka Univ.) - 1:01:51

4. Shin Kimura (Honda) - 1:01:58

5. Wilson Lemangale (NTN) - 1:02:02

6. Bedan Karoki (Toyota) - 1:02:03

7. Naoki Koyama (Honda) - 1:02:31

8. Kento Nishi (Osaka Gas) - 1:02:44

9. Ryoma Takeuchi (ND Software) - 1:02:47

10. Takuma Takemura (SG Holdings) - 1:02:49

Women

1. Tabitha Njeri Kamau (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 1:09:20

2. Mizuki Nishimura (Tenmaya) - 1:10:30

3. Kaede Kawamura (Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:10:34

4. Miku Hirashima (Tenmaya) - 1:11:20

5. Hikaru Kitagawa (Univ. Ent.) - 1:11:53

6. Rie Kawauchi (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 1:11:57

7. Rina Sasaki (Sekisui Kagaku) - 1:11:59

8. Sally Chepyego Kaptich (Kraftia) - 1:12:15

9. Sakiho Tsutsui (Univ. Ent.) - 1:12:32

10. Yuki Nakamura (Panasonic) - 1:12:53

source article:

https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/206843

translated by Brett Larner

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