japan running news

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2017/04/02/kiji/20170402s00057000453000c.html translated and edited by Brett Larner London World Championships team member Yuki Kawauchi (30, Saitama Pref. Gov't) ran the Apr. 2 Daegu International Marathon in South Korea, finishing 6th in 2:13:04.  Daegu was Kawauchi's first full marathon since being named to the World Championships team in March.  Coming up short of his pre-race goal of a sub-2:10, Kawauchi finished over five minutes behind winner Matthew Kisorio (Kenya) who won in 2:07:32.  "I lost touch with the lead group after 5 km, and it ended up being a tough race like in Porto last year ," he told JRN post-race.  "We did the first 5 km in 14:58.   For the next 5 km the lead group went about 14:46, and for my current condition that was just too fast. At the same time, I managed to shake off a 2:05 runner and a 2:06 runner and ran down two people after 40 km, so it did bear some fruit. With Daegu marking th...

Valencia, Spain, 10/18/15 click here for complete results Women 1. Netsanet Gudeta Kebede (Ethiopia) - 1:07:31 2. Worknesh Degefa Debele (Ethiopia) - 1:07:51 3. Genet Yalew Kassahun (Ethiopia) - 1:08:12 4. Rose Chelimo (Kenya) - 1:08:54 5. Peninah Jerop (Kenya) - 1:10:08 ----- 8. Mao Kiyota (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:10:31 Men 1. Abraham Nambei Cheroben (Kenya) - 59:10 2. Matthew Kipkoech Kisorio (Kenya) - 59:52 3. Dawit Weldeslasie Hagos (Eritrea) - 1:00:26 4. Hiskel Tewelde Gebru (Eritrea) - 1:00:31 5. Simon Cheprot (Kenya) - 1:00:56 ----- 21. Kaido Kita (Japan/Chugoku Denryoku) - 1:05:19 26. Yuji Osuda (Japan/Mazda) - 1:06:51

by Brett Larner Up against a relatively anonymous team fielded by course record holder and three-time defending champion Kenya , the Japan team fought hard over the final two of the day's six stages to come up with its first International Chiba Ekiden win since 2009, covering the 42.195 km course in 2:05:53 for the win with an all-star team of three men and three women.  But it was anything but a one-dimensional race, at least half a dozen countries bringing top-quality teams that made for an exciting race of turnover the entire way. #1-ranked collegiate runner Kenta Murayama led off for Japan but fell behind the talented front pack midway and finished only 6th on the 5 km First Stage.  Jake Robertson (New Zealand) did most of the work against Lucas Bruchet (Canada), Tadashi Isshiki (Japan Univ.) Florian Orth (Germany), Egor Nikolaev (Russia), Tyler Pennel (U.S.A.) and Brett Robinson (Australia), all staying side by side through most of the stage before Robinson k...

http://www.sankei.com/sports/news/141111/spo1411110022-n1.html translated by Brett Larner On Nov. 11 the Japanese Federation released the rosters for the thirteen combined men's and women's teams from eleven countries for the Nov. 24 International Chiba Ekiden .  The six-stage, 42.195 km race uniquely features alternating men's and women's stages.  At the forefront of the Japanese National Team are the leaders of the university athletics world, identical twins Kenta Murayama (Komazawa Univ.) and Kota Murayama (Josai Univ.).  Joining them in hopes of generating Japan's first Chiba win in five years are Incheon Asian Games 10000 m bronze medalist Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo) and other young stars. The Japanese University Team features a solid lineup of current young collegiate talent including 2014 National University Track and Field Championships 10000 m runner-up Kentaro Hirai (Kyoto Univ.) and last year's Chiba Fourth Stage winner Natsuki Omori (Rit...

by Brett Larner Like other races across the country, the 2012 Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon was fortunate to have ideal conditions for a historic men's race.  Sub-59 Kenyan Matthew Kisorio  had little trouble with the win, running a minute ahead of Japan-based Daniel Gitau  (Kenya/Team Fujitsu) but missing both the course record of 59:48 and Samuel Wanjiru 's Japanese all-comers' record of 59:43 after a fast first half.  Gitau, a graduate of Nihon University, ran in a chase trio together with his successor at Nihon, Benjamin Gandu  and pro Jacob Wanjuki  (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko), narrowly outkicking both as both he and Gandu recorded strong new PBs.  Further back, a second trio of Japanese men Yusuke Takabayashi  (Team Toyota), Arata Fujiwara  (Tokyo T&F Assoc.) and Shinobu Kubota  (Komazawa Univ.) likewise worked together, all three recording massive new PBs. Kubota, the winner of this year's Hakone Ekiden Ninth S...

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2012011600713 http://sankei.jp.msn.com/sports/news/120116/oth12011619010032-n1.htm http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2012/01/16/kiji/K20120116002445470.html http://sankei.jp.msn.com/region/news/120117/kgw12011702170000-n1.htm http://www.shikoku-np.co.jp/sports/local/20120117000111 translated and edited by Brett Larner On Jan. 16 the organizers of the 66th Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon , scheduled for Feb. 5, announced the 36 men and 17 women making up this year's elite field.  Headlining the overseas men's field are 58:46 all-time #3 half marathoner  Matthew Kisorio  (Kenya) and course record holder Mekubo Mogusu  (Kenya).  The top domestic draws in the men's race are national record holder Atsushi Sato  (Team Chugoku Denryoku) and Olympic hopeful Yuki Kawauchi  (Saitama Pref.) in his final tuneup for the Tokyo Marathon.  Two-time World Championships marathoner Satoshi Irifune ...

2011 Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon Philadelphia, U.S.A., 9/18/11 click here for complete results Women 1. Kim Smith (New Zealand) - 1:07:11 - CR 2. Weknesh Kidane (Ethiopia) - 1:07:26 3. Bizunesh Deba (Ethiopia) - 1:09:53 4. Jane Kibii (Kenya) - 1:10:23 5. Maegen Krifchin (U.S.A.) - 1:11:04 6. Diane Nukuri (Kenya) - 1:12:08 7. Yolanda Caballero (Colombia) - 1:12:35 8. Claire Hallissey - 1:12:39 9. Misiker Mekonnin (Ethiopia) - 1:12:57 10. Dot McMahan (U.S.A.) - 1:12:57 ----- 16. Mizuho Nasukawa (Team Univ. Ent.) - 1:14:35 Men 1. Matthew Kisorio (Kenya) - 58:46 2. Sammy Kitwara (Kenya) - 58:48 3. James Mwangi (Kenya) - 1:00:42 4. Peter Kamais (Kenya) - 1:01:06 5. Julius Koskei (Kenya) - 1:01:21 6. Shawn Forrest - 1:01:34 7. Abderrahim Goumri (Morocco) - 1:01:41 8. Hosea Macharinyang (Kenya) - 1:01:42 9. Bobby Curtis (U.S.A.) - 1:01:52 10. Markos Geneti (Ethiopia) - 1:02:01