Boston Marathon's Champion Yuki Kawauchi is already Racing again on Sunday

The three most recent winners of the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon will clash on Sunday. Earlier this week Kawauchi became the first Japanese runner to win the Boston Marathon in 31 years. In a gripping race held in harsh conditions, Kawauchi put in numerous surges with his final effort proving decisive. He crossed the finish line in 2:15:58 to beat world champion Geoffrey Kirui by more than two minutes. It was Kawauchi’s fifth consecutive marathon victory – all of which have been achieved in a four-month time span – but his record at the half marathon isn’t quite as strong. He has contested the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon on five previous occasions but is yet to finish inside the top 10. But his performance on Monday once again showed that distance-running fans should always expect the unexpected from Kawauchi. The 31-year-old currently works 40 hours a week as a civil servant, but he recently announced that he will leave his job and turn professional next year. “I need to change my environment (to move up to another level),” he said. “I have not improved my personal best for five years. I want to see my true potential as a runner. I am determined to compete against the best in the world.

posted Friday April 20th