By HOFU, Japan – Results from the 47th Hofu Yomiuri Marathon in Yamaguchi, Japan, as six personal bests were set among the Top 10 in the men’s race.
Japan’s Ryo Hashimoto and Taiki Yoshimura both set personal bests in finishing in the Top 2 in the men’s race, while Hisae Yoshimatsu cruised to victory on the women’s side.
Hashimoto posted a time of two hours, 11 minutes and 20 seconds to win the race, improving his previous best of 2:14:38, set in Tokyo on 28 February.
Yoshimura, running his fourth marathon this year, posted a time of 2:12:19 to better the 2:13:12 previous career best he also set in Hofu, last December.
Yuki Kawauchi entered the event with 10 times faster than 2:10:00, including a personal best of 2:08:14, set in 2013 and two 2:09:00 times this season.
But in Hofu, Kawauchi finished third in 2:12:45.
On the women’s side, Hisae Yoshimatsu ran two hours, 40 minutes and 21 seconds to easily take the title after shaking off an early challenge from Yuka Takemoto, who fell off the pace at 10 km before dropping out of the race.
Yoshimatsu, who holds the course record, was securing her fourth-straight Hofu Yomiuri Marathon crown and her sixth overall.
Noriko Sato (2:48:51) and Ai Ogo (2:50:01) finished second and third, respectively.
47th Hofu Yomiuri Marathon
Hofu, Yamaguchi, 12/18/16
click here for complete results
Men Results – Top 10
1. Ryo Hashimoto (GMO Athletes) – 2:11:20 – PB
2. Taiki Yoshimura (Asahi Kasei) – 2:12:19 – PB
3. Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov’t) – 2:12:45
4. Isaac Macharia (Kenya) – 2:15:09
5. Yasuyuki Nakamura (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) – 2:15:35
6. Shinichi Yamashita (Takigahara SDF Base) – 2:16:22 – PB
7. Nao Kazami (Aichi T&F Assoc.) – 2:17:29 – PB
8. Shogo Kanezane (Chugoku Denryoku) – 2:18:15
9. Yuki Fujii (Tokuyama) – 2:19:08 – PB
10. Mahoro Ikeda (Aichi Seiko) – 2:19:38 – PB
—–
DNF – Ezekiel Jafary (Tanzania)
Women’s Result
1. Hisae Yoshimatsu (Shunan City Hall) – 2:40:21
2. Noriko Sato (First Dream AC) – 2:48:51
3. Ai Ogo (Himeji T&F Assoc.) – 2:50:01
4 . Mika Yoshimura (YUYAKE Corps) 2:52:03
5. Higashi Nana (Yamato Shinkansha) – 2:52:55
6. Yuki Karimoto – 2:53:21
7. Murata Yoshie (Mie Jokyo) – 2:53:44
8. Miu Tsuboi (Hiroshima SRPC) – 2:55:00
9. Tomomi Akita (Nagai Connection) – 2:55:08
—–
DNF – Yuka Takemoto (Canon AC Kyushu)
