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Fukuoka International Marathon Elite Field Released

Fukuoka International Marathon is the first of this winter season's big selection races for the home soil team for next year's Tokyo World Championships, and the domestic field is a great one. 

Kenya Sonota, 2:05:59 in Tokyo last year, and 2:06 men Yusuke Nishiyama, Yuya Yoshida, Kazuya Nishiyama and Daisuke Doi make up the main contenders to get a spot, with internationals Lemeck Too, Jie He, Bethwel Yegon, Vincent Raimoi, last year's winner Michael Githae, and Shaohui Yang perfectly positioned to add momentum to the shot at the 2:06:30 Worlds standard that they'll all be taking.

8 other Japanese men in the 2:07 to 2:09 range make it one of the most competitive Fukuoka editions in a long, long time.

Last year Githae outkicked Yang by 1 second to win 2:07:08 to 2:07:09, Yang with a Chinese NR that was broken a few months later by He in Wuxi. Chinese men's marathoning has momentum right now too, and it wouldn't be surprising to see either He or Yang become Fukuoka's first Chinese winner. Jianhua Peng, 2:09:59 last year in Seoul, and Bo Li, 2:11:23 in Nanchang, are also in the race.

Fukuoka International Marathon Elite Field Highlights

Kenya Sonota (JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:05:59 (Tokyo 2023)

Lemeck Too (Kenya) - 2:06:29 (Rotterdam 2024)

Yusuke Nishiyama (Toyota) - 2:06:31 (Tokyo 2024)

Yuya Yoshida (GMO) - 2:06:37 (Osaka 2024)

Kazuya Nishiyama (Toyota) - 2:06:45 (Osaka 2023)

Daisuke Doi (Kurosaki Harima) - 2:06:54 (Osaka 2024)

Jie He (China) - 2:06:57 (Wuxi 2024)

Bethwel Yegon (Kenya) - 2:06:57 (Vienna 2023)

Vincent Raimoi (Kenya/Suzuki) - 2:07:01 (Fukuoka Int'l 2022)

Michael Githae (Kenya/Suzuki) - 2:07:08 (Fukuoka Int'l 2023)

Shaohui Yang (China) - 2:07:09 (Fukuoka Int'l 2023)

Koki Yoshioka (Kyudenko) - 2:07:28 (Osaka 2023)

Shin Kimura (Honda) - 2:07:34 (Tokyo 2024)

Derese Workneh (Ethiopia/Hiramatsu Byoin) - 2:07:58 (Beppu-Oita 2024)

Bedan Karoki (Kenya/Toyota) - 2:07:59 (Tokyo 2024)

Kazuya Azegami (Toyota) - 2:08:29 (Osaka 2023)

Kiyoshi Koga (Yasukawa Denki) - 2:08:30 (Beppu-Oita 2022)

Ryu Takaku (Yakult) - 2:08:38 (Fukuoka Int'l 2021)

Naoki Aiba (Chudenko) - 2:08:44 (Beppu-Oita 2022)

Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 2:09:00 (Osaka 2024)

Kohei Futaoka (Chudenko) - 2:09:14 (Fukuoka Int'l 2021)

Jianhua Peng (China) - 2:09:59 (Seoul 2023)

Tesema Moges (Israel) - 2:10:31 (Rotterdam 2023)

Takumi Kumagai (Sumitomo Denko) - 2:10:41 (Fukuoka Int'l 2021)

Yusuke Tobimatsu (Hioki City Hall) - 2:10:47 (Hofu 2021)

Luka Musembi (Kenya/Tokyo T&F Assoc.) - 2:10:49 (Hokkaido 2022)

Asuka Tanaka (Runlife) - 2:11:09 (Tokyo 2022)

Bo Li (China) - 2:11:23 (Nanchang 2023)

Tadese Getahon (Israel) - debut - 1:00:47 (Copenhagen Half 2024)

(11/07/2024) Views: 146 ⚡AMP
by Brett Larner

2021 Fukuoka Marathon champion Michael Githae will lead a competitive Kenyan field in Tokyo

Michael Githae will be one of the frontrunners for the coveted title having won the Fukuoka event in December in 2:07:51. 

Githae will have Simon Kariuki for the company in the event. Kariuki finished third in the Lake Biwa Marathon last year in a time of 2:07:18. 

Benard Kimani, who finished fourth at the Eindhoven Marathon in 2019 in 2:11:31, and Daniel Kitonyi who has a personal best of 2:14.41 set at the Nagano Marathon two years ago, will be seeking to upset the formbook.

Nicholas Kosimbei, who has a personal best of 1:00.20 in the half marathon, will also make his debut in the full marathon.

Japan will be represented by Kengo Suzuki, who has a PB of 2:04:56 set at the Lake Biwa Marathon alongside Hidekazu Hijikata (PB 2:06:26),  Kyohei Hosoya (PB 2:06:35), and 2020 Fukuoka winner  Yuya Yoshida (2:07:05). 

Seven men with recent times under 2:07, 31 under 2:10, 112 under 2:20, and two debuting sub-61 half marathoners have confirmed participation.

Elsewhere, the Osaka Marathon is slated for February 27 with two Kenyans in the field.

The 2018 Lake Biwa winner Joseph Macharia Ndirangu with a PB of 2:07:53 and James Rungaru (PB 2:08:250 will compete at the event.

(02/16/2022) Views: 1,206 ⚡AMP
by William Njuguna

Tokyo Marathon announced domestic elite field

A few days ago the Tokyo Marathon announced the domestic elite field for its 2021 edition being held Mar. 6, 2022, with the caveat that final decisions on whether it would go ahead and whether it would have an international field, originally slated to feature men's world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, would have to wait until Feb. 18. Yesterday the Osaka Marathon announced its field for this year's race on Feb. 27, and like Osaka, Tokyo's field gives away its history as a men-only race. The men's field is even more massive than Osaka's, and the women's field only slightly deeper.

Overall Tokyo is solid, with the men's NR holder, the women-only NR holder, both half marathon NR holders, the last three Fukuoka International Marathon winners, seven men with recent times under 2:07, 31 under 2:10, 112 under 2:20, and two debuting sub-61 half marathoners. Only three women on the list including women-only NR holder Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal) have gone sub-2:30 vs. three sub-2:40 in Osaka, meaning that the field at the Nagoya Women's Marathon the week after Tokyo should be pretty good.

Especially notable people in the men's field include NR holder Kengo Suzuki (Fujitsu), two-time 2:06 man Hiroto Inoue (Mitsubishi Juko) who won last month's Osaka Half Marathon in PB time, 2020 Fukuoka winner Yuya Yoshida (GMO), and 2021 Fukuoka winner Michael Githae (Kenya/Suzuki). It's also notable that none of the three men who ran the Tokyo Olympics marathon is entered in Tokyo or any other domestic spring marathon. 

Along with Yoshida a large group from the GMO corporate team and other athletes are entered both here and in Osaka, so the final numbers at both races are likely to be a bit lower than what's on paper. But if the weather's good you can still expect to see massive races both weekends. And expect Ichiyama and Suzuki to give the world record for fastest combined times by a married couple in a single race, 4:27:05 by Kenyans Purity Cherotich Rionoripo and Paul Kipchumba Lonyangata in Paris 2017, a shot.

2021 Tokyo Marathon

Domestic Elite Field

Men

Kengo Suzuki (Fujitsu) - 2:04:56 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Hidekazu Hijikata (Honda) - 2:06:26 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Harima) - 2:06:35 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Ryu Takaku (Yakult) - 2:06:45 (Tokyo 2020)

Hiroto Inoue (Mitsubishi Juko) - 2:06:47 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Yusuke Ogura (Yakult) - 2:06:51 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Daisuke Uekado (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 2:06:54 (Tokyo 2020)

Toshiki Sadakata (Mitsubishi Juko) - 2:07:05 (Tokyo 2020)

Yuya Yoshida (GMO) - 2:07:05 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Simon Kariuki (Kenya/Togami Denki) - 2:07:18 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Masato Kikuchi (Konica Minolta) - 2:07:20 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Shin Kimura (Honda) - 2:07:20 (Tokyo 2020)

Kento Kikutani (Toyota Boshoku) - 2:07:26 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Yuta Shimoda (GMO) - 2:07:27 (Tokyo 2020)

Tadashi Isshiki (GMO) - 2:07:39 (Tokyo 2020)

Masaki Sakuda (JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:07:42 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Michael Githae (Kenya/Suzuki) - 2:07:51 (Fukuoka Int'l 2021)

Atsumi Ashiwa (Honda) - 2:07:54 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Kenya Sonota (JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:08:11 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Kento Otsu (Toyota Kyushu) - 2:08:15 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Naoya Sakuda (JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:08:21 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Daisuke Hosomori (YKK) - 2:08:28 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Keisuke Hayashi (GMO) - 2:08:52 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Kazuma Kubo (Nishitetsu) - 2:08:53 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Chihiro Miyawaki (Toyota) - 2:09:04 (Tokyo 2020)

Takumi Kiyotani (Chugoku Denryoku) - 2:09:13 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Yuki Sato (SGH Group) - 2:09:18 (Berlin 2018)

Kei Katanishi (JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:09:27 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Yuki Takamiya (Yakult) - 2:09:30 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Taku Fujimoto (Toyota) - 2:09:36 (Fukuoka Int'l 2019)

Takamitsu Hashimoto (Komori Corp.) - 2:09:43 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Keisuke Tanaka (Fujitsu) - 2:10:07 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Kensuke Horio (Toyota) - 2:10:21 (Tokyo 2019)

Akira Tomiyasu (Tokyo T&F Assoc.) - 2:10:29 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Ryo Matsumoto (Toyota) - 2:10:32 (Lake Biwa 2020)

Ryota Komori (NTN) - 2:10:33 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Takuma Kumagai (Sumitomo Denko) - 2:10:41 (Fukuoka Int'l 2021)

Yuki Nakamura (Sumitomo Denko) - 2:10:47 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Takuma Shibata (Komori Corp.) - 2:10:48 (Hofu 2020)

Shota Saito (JFE Steel) - 2:10:50 (Beppu-Oita 2020)

Daiji Kawai (Toenec) - 2:10:50 (Lake Biwa 2019)

Junnosuke Matsuo (NTT Nishi Nihon) - 2:11:00 (Beppu-Oita 2020)

Asuka Tanaka (Runlife) - 2:11:07 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Taiki Yoshimura (Asahi Kasei) - 2:11:13 (Hofu 2019)

Toshinori Watanabe (GMO) - 2:11:17 (Katsuta 2020)

Yoshiyuki Hara (Gotemba Takigahara SDF Base) - 2:11:21 (Hofu 2020)

Benard Kimani (Kenya/Comodi Iida) - 2:11:31 (Eindhoven 2019)

Debut / Do-Over

Nicholas Kosimbei (Kenya/YKK) - 1:00:20 (Lisbon Half 2019)

Masashi Nonaka (Osaka Gas) - 1:00:58 (Nat'l Corp. Half 2020)

Tomoya Ogikubo (Yakult) - 27:44.74 (Hachioji LD 10000 m 2021)

Naoki Koyama (Honda) - 27:55.16 (HDC Fukagawa 10000 m 2021)

Women

Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal) - 2:20:29 (Nagoya 2020)

Natsuki Omori (Daihatsu) - 2:28:38 (Nagoya 2021)

Shiho Kaneshige (GRlab Kanto) - 2:28:51 (Osaka Int'l 2020)

Hitomi Niiya (Sekisui Kagaku) - 2:30:58 (Nagoya 2009)

Miharu Shimokado (SID Group) - 2:32:48 (Osaka Int'l 2020)

Yui Okada (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 2:32:00 (Nagoya 2020)

Hitomi Mizuguchi (Uniqlo) - 2:32:33 (Osaka Int'l 2020)

Mai Fujisawa (Hokkaido Excel AC) - 2:35:52 (Kanazawa 2021)

Tomomi Sawahata (Sawahatters) - 2:36:45 (Osaka Int'l 2022)

Debut / Do-Over

Kaori Morita (Panasonic) - 1:10:28 (Nat'l Corp. Half 2021)

Rika Kaseda (Daihatsu) - 31:39.86 (Nat'l Championships 2020)

(02/10/2022) Views: 1,438 ⚡AMP
by Brett Larner

Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon is set to return this year on Feb 6

Other races have started canceling as Japan's COVID-19 numbers climb again, but the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon is set to return this year on Feb 6, announcing its elite field on Jan 14. The front end is heavily dominated by people who part of the Miracle in Lake Biwa last year, Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) and Tsubasa Ichiyama (Komori Corp.) leading the way at 2:07:12 and 2:07:41 from that race.

Four others on the list have run 2:08 recently, three at Lake Biwa, with two 2:09 veterans rounding out a sub-2:10 club that's as good as in any past year at Beppu-Oita, even without an international field. Well, there is one Ethiopian in the race, 2019 Fukuoka 3rd-placer Derese Workneh (Hiramatsu Byoin), but he's locally-based in Kyushu.

But where this year's field really stands out is in its list of first-timers. Sub-61 half marathoners Kiyoshi Koga (Yasukawa Denki) and Yusuke Nishiyama (Toyota) are there fresh off good runs on the New Year Ekiden's longest stage. Track specialist Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei) is running for real after a couple of less-serious marathon stabs, and likewise doing it off a good New Year run. 

Last time around Aoyama Gakuin University's Yuya Yoshida made a big impact at Beppu-Oita in his debut, and this time the 2022 Hakone Ekiden champ team has five members on the list including Hakone members Kotaro Kondo and Takayuki Iida, who ran the equivalent of 1:01:20 and 1:02:21 half marathons on their stages, and sub-63 half marathoners Taiki Miyasaka, Ryo Nishikubo and Shungo Yokota. 

It should be a great race that cranks out even more quality Japanese marathoners. TBS will be broadcasting it live, and JRN will cover it on @JRNLive. Check back closer to race date for more info.

70th Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon

Elite Field

Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) - 2:07:12 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Tsubasa Ichiyama (Komori Corp.) - 2:07:41 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Daisuke Hosomori (YKK) - 2:08:28 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Hiroto Fujimagari (Toyota Kyushu) - 2:08:30 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Takuya Fujikawa (Chugoku Denryoku) - 2:08:45 (Tokyo 2020)

Yuta Koyama (Toenec) - 2:08:46 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Ryo Hashimoto (GMO) - 2:09:29 (Beppu-Oita 2019)

Hisanori Kitajima (Yasukawa Denki) - 2:09:54 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Shogo Kanezane (Chugoku Denryoku) - 2:10:17 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Tadashi Suzuki (Suzuki) - 2:10:46 (Hofu 2020)

Derese Workneh (Ethiopia/Hiramatsu Byoin) - 2:10:52 (Fukuoka Int'l 2019)

Taiki Yoshimura (Asahi Kasei) - 2:11:13 (Hofu 2019)

Yuichi Okutani (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 2:11:16 (Beppu-Oita 2020)

Tomohiro Tanigawa (Konica Minolta) - 2:11:54 (Hofu 2020)

Debut/Do-Over

Kiyoshi Koga (Yasukawa Denki) - 1:00:49 (Nat'l Corp. Half 2020)

Yusuke Nishiyama (Toyota) - 1:00:55 (Nat'l Corp. Half 2020)

Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko) - 1:01:46 (Ageo City Half 2019)

Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei) - 1:01:57 (Marugame 2020)

Riki Nakanishi (Toenec) - 1:02:02 (Osaka 2020)

Taiki Miyasaka (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:26 (Takanezawa 2020)

Ryo Nishikubo (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:30 (Takanezawa 2020)

Shungo Yokota (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:02:36 (Hi-Tech 2022)

Yuya Kawata (Subaru) - 1:02:38 (Nat'l Corp. Half 2021)

Noriaki Oyama (Konica Minolta) - 1:02:41 (Marugame 2020)

Shogo Ise (Konica Minolta) - 1:02:53 (Marugame 2019)

Takayuki Iida (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:03:10 (Takanezawa 2019)

Kotaro Kondo (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 1:03:42 (Nat'l Univ. Half 2021)

(01/15/2022) Views: 1,245 ⚡AMP
by Brett Larner

Hosoya, Takaku and Uekado Will Lead Fukuoka International Marathon's Final Elite Field

With just over a month to go until its final edition, on Nov. 1 the organizers of the Fukuoka International Marathon held a press conference to announce its last elite field. For the second year in a row it's domestic-only, headlined by Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Harima), 2:06:35 at the final Lake Biwa Marathon this past spring, Ryu Takaku (Yakult), 2:06:45 in Tokyo last year, and Daisuke Uekado (Otsuka Seiyaku), 2:06:54 in Tokyo just behind Takaku. 

Out of a total field of 124, along with the 3 sub-2:07 guys there are 11 sub-2:08, 18 sub-2:09, 25 sub-2:10 and many more at the sub-2:11 and sub-2:12 levels. It's an even bigger front end than was on the entry list at the record-breaking final Lake Biwa Marathon earlier this year, and for a domestic field it's one worthy of sending off Fukuoka's 75-year history. Last year's winner Yuya Yoshida (GMO), who was scheduled to run October's Tokyo Marathon before it was postponed until March, is absent. 

With Japan still holding tight to its border closures the international component of the field is covered by Japan-based internationals Michael Githae (Suzuki), 2:08:17 in Fukuoka last year, Mongolian NR holder Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mie T&F Assoc.) past Marugame Half winner Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon), James Gitahi Rungaru (Chuo Hatsujo), Daniel Muiva Kitonyi (Track Tokyo), and the debuting Nicholas Kosimbei (YKK).

complete field listing

Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Hariima) - 2:06:35 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Ryu Takaku (Yakult) - 2:06:45 (Tokyo 2020)

Daisuke Uekado (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 2:06:54 (Tokyo 2020)

Toshiki Sadakata (Mitsubishi Juko) - 2:07:05 (Tokyo 2020)

Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) - 2:07:12 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Shin Kimura (Honda) - 2:07:20  (Tokyo 2020)

Yuki Kawauchi (ANDS) - 2:07:27 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Shohei Otsuka (Kyudenko) - 2:07:38 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Masaru Aoki (Kanebo) - 2:07:40 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Yuta Shitara (Honda) - 2:07:45 (Tokyo 2020)

Atsumi Ashiwa (Honda) - 2:07:54 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Natsuki Terada (JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:08:03 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Kento Otsu (Toyota Kyushu) - 2:08:15 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Michael Githae (Kenya/Suzuki) - 2:08:17 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Junichi Tsubouchi (Kurosaki Harima) - 2:08:35 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Yuji Iwata (Mitsubishi Juko) - 2:08:45 (Tokyo 2020)

Kazuma Kubo (Nishitetsu) - 2:08:53 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 2:08:56 (Berlin 2019)

Chihiro Miyawaki (Toyota) - 2:09:04 (Tokyo 2020)

Kohei Futaoka (Chudenko) - 2:09:15 (Beppu-Oita 2019)

Shoma Yamamoto (NTT Nishi Nihon) - 2:09:18 (Lake Biwa 2020)

Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mongolia/Mie T&F Assoc.) - 2:09:26 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Yoshiki Takenouchi (NTT Nishi Nihon) - 2:09:31 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Takahiro Nakamura (Kyocera Kagoshima) - 2:09:40 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Paul Kuira (Kenya/JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:09:57 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Jo Fukuda (NN Running Team) - 2:10:32 (Beppu-Oita 2020)

Ryota Komori (NTN) - 2:10:33 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Yuki Nakamura (Sumitomo Denko) - 2:10:47 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Takuma Shibata (Komori Corp.) - 2:10:48 (Hofu 2020)

Koshiro Hirata (SG Holdings) - 2:10:50 (Lake Biwa 2021)

Shota Saito (JFE Steel) - 2:10:50 (Beppu-Oita 2020)

Asuka Tanaka (Runlife) - 2:11:07 (Fukuoka Int'l 2020)

Taiki Suzuki (Eldoreso) - 2:12:09 (Fukuoka Int'l 2019)

Keita Shitara (Hitachi Butsuryu) - 2:12:13 (Tokyo 2020)

James Gitahi Rungaru (Kenya/Chuo Hatsujo) - 2:12:54 (Hofu 2020)

Daniel Muiva Kitonyi (Kenya/Track Tokyo) - 2:14:41 (Nagano 2019)

Debut

Nicholas Mboroto Kosimbei (Kenya/YKK) - 1:00:21 (Lisbon Half 2019).

(11/01/2021) Views: 1,440 ⚡AMP
by Brett Larner

23-year-old Yoshida wins Fukuoka International Marathon

Yuya Yoshida won the Fukuoka International Marathon held in southwestern Japan on Sunday to earn his first career victory over the 42.195-kilometer distance.

Competing in just his second professional marathon, the 23-year-old crossed the finish line at Heiwadai Athletic Stadium in 2 hours, 7 minutes and 5 seconds in a race limited this year to domestic entrants due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I was able to win by giving 100 percent. I'm extremely happy," Yoshida said. "This whole year I've been thinking about and working out how to get results in the marathon. This goes to prove I was on the right track."

Tokyo Olympic alternate Shohei Otsuka was second in 2:07:38, while Natsuki Terada rounded out the podium with a time of 2:08:03 in third.

The fight for the lead eventually came down to a battle between Yoshida and 2019 runner-up Taku Fujimoto until Yoshida pulled ahead around the 31-km mark. The burgeoning marathoner's pace slackened somewhat but he retained his lead, while Fujimoto dropped back and finished 12th.

Otsuka, who fell in the early stages in the race, rallied back into contention and finished 33 seconds off the pace.

Yoshida, a recent graduate of ekiden road relay powerhouse Aoyama Gakuin University, finished third in his marathon debut at February's Beppu-Oita Marathon, where he posted Japan's best result.

Yuma Hattori, who booked his ticket to the Tokyo Olympics by finishing runner-up at last year's Marathon Grand Championship, ended a 13-year championship drought for Japanese runners at the Fukuoka International Marathon when he won the 2018 edition.

Organizers revealed Thursday that Hattori would not take part in this year's race due to pain in his right calf.

(12/06/2020) Views: 1,374 ⚡AMP

Takaku, Hattori and Kawauchi lead Fukuoka Marathon entries

Organisers of the Fukuoka International Marathon have announced their elite field for the World Athletics Gold Label road race on 6 December.

Given the restrictions on international travel, the line-up is predominantly domestic but it includes some of the top marathon runners in the country, along with a few Japan-based internationals.

Ryu Takaku, who set a big PB of 2:06:45 in Tokyo earlier this year, is the fastest in the field. The 27-year-old is the fourth-fastest Japanese runner ever and will be making his second appearance in Fukuoka, having raced there in 2018.

Yuma Hattori, winner of the 2018 Fukuoka Marathon, will be back in the Japanese city looking for his second victory there. His last race over the distance was at last year’s Marathon Grand Championships, where he finished second to gain selection for Japan’s Olympic team.

Yuki Kawauchi, the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, will be making his 11th appearance in Fukuoka in what will be his 104th career marathon. A prolific racer, Kawauchi's last race over the distance was nine months ago – his longest break between marathons since 2010.

Taku Fujimoto finished second in Fukuoka last year and will be looking to go one better this time round. He set his PB of 2:07:57 when finishing eighth in Chicago in 2018, while earlier this year he clocked 1:00:06 at the Marugame Half Marathon, moving to second on the Japanese all-time list.

Six other men in the field have PBs faster than 2:09.

Leading entries

Ryu Takaku (JPN) 2:06:45

Yuma Hattori (JPN) 2:07:27

Taku Fujimoto (JPN) 2:07:57

Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:08:14

Yuya Yoshida (JPN) 2:08:30

Naoki Okamoto (JPN) 2:08:37

Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (MGL) 2:08:50

Tsukasa Koyama (JPN) 2:08:53

Satoru Sasaki (JPN) 2:08:56

Naoya Sakuda (JPN) 2:08:59

Michael Githae (KEN) 2:09:21

Hayato Sonoda (JPN) 2:09:34

Jo Fukuda (JPN) 2:09:52

Kento Otsu (JPN) 2:10:01

Yoshiki Takenouchi (JPN) 2:10:01

Shohei Otsuka (JPN) 2:10:12

Koki Yoshioka (JPN) 2:10:13

Asuka Tanaka (JPN) 2:10:13

Daichi Kamino (JPN) 2:10:18

Yuichi Yasui (JPN) 2:10:19

Junichi Tsubouchi (JPN) 2:10:19

Ryo Matsumoto (JPN) 2:10:32

Derese Workneh (ETH) 2:10:52

Natsuki Terada (JPN) 2:10:55

Taiga Ito (JPN) 2:10:52

Paul Kuira (KEN) 2:11:58

Silas Kingori (KEN) debut

(11/01/2020) Views: 989 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Ryu Takaku, Yuma Hattori and Taku Fujimoto Headline Fukuoka International Marathon

With strict limitations on immigration still a reality in Japan, the Dec. 6 Fukuoka International Marathon has announced an almost entirely domestic field of less than 100 that includes only five Japan-based foreign-born athletes plus an all-Japan-based Kenyan pacing crew led by Bedan Karoki (Toyota).

Not that the field is hurting for quality. Ryu Takaku (Yakult), 2:06:45 in Tokyo this year, 2018 Fukuoka winner and Tokyo Olympics marathon team member Yuma Hattori (Toyota), and Taku Fujimoto (Toyota), a bump up to the 2019 Fukuoka winner's position pending after the subsequent suspension of the Moroccan who crossed the line first for biological passport violations, make up the front end of a field that includes eleven current sub-2:10 men and seven of last year's top ten.

Hattori has said publicly that he'll be going for Suguru Osako's 2:05:29 national record, and with pacing support from teammates Karoki and Fujimoto, his former Toyo University teammate Takaku there with him, and no dirty athletes to effortlessly tear him in half at the end, if the weather is good his chances will be too.

Shizuoka-based Kenyan Michael Githae (Suzuki) is the top international in the field with a best of 2:09:21 from Lake Biwa in 2018, but sub-60 half marathoner Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon) still has potential to improve on his 2:11:58 best, and likewise for former Takushoku University ekiden team captain Derese Workneh (Hiramatsu Byoin). Workneh's teammate Cyrus Kingori (Hiramatsu Byoin) looks promising in his debut with a 1:01:31 for 4th at last year's Gifu Seiryu Half. 

One promising name for a breakthrough in the Japanese field is Taiki Suzuki (Raffine), 9th last year in 2:12:09 in his marathon debut. It'll be interesting as well to see if Yuya Yoshida (GMO) can build on his inspiring at-the-time-career-ending 2:08:30 debut at Beppu-Oita this year, and it still feels like Olympic team alternate Shohei Otsuka (Kyudenko) has more waiting in him than his 2:10:12 best from Beppu-Oita two years ago.

Toyo fans will be hoping the same for Keita Shitara (Hitachi Butsuryu), twin brother of former NR holder Yuta Shitara.

(10/26/2020) Views: 1,597 ⚡AMP
by Brett Larner