Ando achieves first career marathon victory in Nagoya

Yuka Ando became the first Japanese winner in three years at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon, taking the title in a PB of 2:21:19 at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday (10).

Before today, Ando had completed 10 marathons in her career, and had reached the podium in Nagoya on three previous occasions. But today’s performance marked the first marathon victory of her career.

After a chilly start with temperatures of about 5C, Ando and fellow Japanese duo Ayuko Suzuki and Rika Kaseda formed aleading pack alongside 2022 world champion Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia and Asian champion Eunice Chebichii Chumba of Bahrain.

The lead group reached the halfway point in 1:09:56, inside 2:20 pace, but the tempo dropped slightly in the second half. Chumba and Gebreslase opened up a bit of a gap on the leading Japanese contenders. Suzuki started to fall back as Ando and Kaseda ran side by side as they tried to chase the leaders.

Gebreslase dropped out at about 36km, leaving Chumba in front. Ando caught up with the leader at about 39km and they ran together for a couple of kilometres before Ando kicked ahead in the final 800 metres.

Ando went on to cross the line in 2:21:18, consolidating her position at eighth on the Japanese all-time list. Chumba finished second in 2:21:25, and Suzuki placed third in a PB of 2:21:33.

Ando, who would have had to have broken the Asian record of 2:18:59 to make it on to Japan’s team for the Paris Olympics, was delighted with her run.

“There are many people who have helped me to get this far, and I’m filled with gratitude,” she said. “I can’t go to Paris, but I’m really happy that I won. It was really hard when I fell behind the lead pack, but I was able to catch up by running, only focusing on going forward.”

posted Sunday March 10th