Strong winds prevented the kind of times usually seen at the Sanyo Ladies Road Race , the last major non-ekiden race on the Japanese calendar every year. Running as a tuneup for pacing January's Osaka International Women's Marathon, 3000 m JPN all-comers record holder Margaret Akidor (Comodi Iida) won a four-way sprint finish to take 1st in the half marathon in 1:11:19. 3rd last year, Joan Kipkemoi (Kyudenko) was 2nd in 1:11:20, reversing places with Desta Burka (Denso) who dropped from 2nd last year to 3rd in 1:11:21. Unable to keep up in the last kick, 2-time champ Zeyituna Husan (Denso) was 4th in 1:11:25. Yuri Karasawa (Kyudenko) was the top Japanese woman at 5th in 1:12:01. In the 10 km division, Agnes Mwikali (Kyocera) won a slightly less close sprint finish over Tabitha Njeri Kamau (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) and Janet Nyiva (Kurashiki H.S.) in 31:56 to Njeri' 31:59 and Nyiva's 32:00. Top Japanese woman Misaki Hayashida (Kyudenko) was 4th in 33:14. The 136t...
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