Kawauchi Breaks Own CR at Chitose International Marathon

by Brett Larner
photo by shinopota

In his sixth marathon so far in 2014 Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) scored his fourth marathon course record win of the year at Sunday's Chitose JAL International Marathon, running 2:15:57 to take more than 2 1/2 minutes off the record he set last year.

Pre-race he told JRN, "I'm going for the course record, and unless I fall apart near the end it won't be a problem." In warm temperatures on a tough course including a 155 m climb near halfway and extensive gravel and dirt road sections Kawauchi had little trouble living up to those words and doing away with both his own record and the competition. Runner-up Sho Matsumoto (Arata Project), a 2:13 marathoner in 2013, was almost eight minutes back in 2:23:50. In breaking 2:20 Kawauchi cleared another historic mark, setting a new Japanese record of 35 career sub-2:20 marathons and taking the great Takeshi Soh off the books.

Women's winner Hiroko Yoshitomi (First Dream AC Saga), like Kawauchi an amateur serial marathoner, won in 2:45:43 by a similar margin over Risa Suzuki (Art Sports), 2nd in 2:52:38. Both Kawauchi and Yoshitomi will line up for their next marathons at July's Gold Coast Airport Marathon in Australia.

34th Chitose JAL International Marathon
Chitose, Hokkaido, 6/1/14
click here for complete results

Men
1. Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) - 2:15:57 - CR
2. Sho Matsumoto (Arata Project) - 2:23:50
3. Takahiro Nakama (Keiei Shien Center) - 2:26:52

Women
1. Hiroko Yoshitomi (First Dream AC Saga) - 2:45:43
2. Risa Suzuki (Art Sports) - 2:52:38
3. Mai Fujisawa (Sapporo City Hall) - 3:03:34

text (c) 2014 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

photo (c) 2014 shinopota
all rights reserved

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June 3, 2014 at 2:17 PM

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