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All the way to 40 km he was steady on 2:58/km, 2:05:10 pace, and like a surprising number of other people in both the men’s and women’s races, there was a massive jump over the last 2.195 km from his projected finish time to his actual one.
His run put Osako back on top of the Japanese charts, put the average of Japan’s 10 fastest marathon times of the year under 2:06 for the first time, and got him into the L.A. Olympics marathon trials. Valencia has been trying to get top-tier Japanese athletes to come for years, and now that they finally managed to do it it paid off in a big way. Expect more next year.
Back home, former Takushoku University captain Derese Workneh won a 3-way race against Toyota teammates Kazuya Nishiyama and Bedan Karoki at the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon, setting a course record and PB 2:06:58 for the win. The race was out on 2:07-flat pace, and what was at first a pack of over 20 shook down to a head-to-head between Workneh and Karoki. Only Workneh could sustain it though, and when Karoki faded Nishiyama was there to pick up 2nd in 2:07:49. Karoki took 3rd in 2:08:04, Yuta Koyama landing 4th in 2:08:19 and Junnosuke Matsuo the only other athlete under 2:10 at 5th in 2:09:55.
By clearing 2:09:00 both Nishiyama and Matsuo picked up places at the Olympic Trials alongside Osako. Workneh added the Hofu title to his win at the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon last year, and with a 2:06 to his name now Fukuoka has to be in his sights next year.
Only one Olympic Trials spot was up for grabs in Hofu for women, and in her marathon debut favorite Mizuki Nishimura, the next big thing from the Tenmaya corporate team, easily cleared the 2:27:00 time requirement with a controlled 2:25:54 for the win. Most of the way she had company from Ayumi Morita, 2:31:38 in Tokyo last year, but even though Morita ran a big PB of 2:26:48 for 2nd she didn’t join Nishimura on the Trials list. Look for Nishimura to double at the Osaka International Women’s Marathon next month.
Once the premier race of the season, the Fukuoka International Marathon was a pale 3rd behind Valencia and Hofu today. With 2 of the 3 fastest Japanese men in Hofu having taken the top 2 Japanese spots there, the same thing happened in Fukuoka. Having just a 2:08:56 PB coming into the race, Bayelign Teshager ground down Yusuke Nishiyama, 2:06:31 in Tokyo last year, and Kyohei Hosoya, 2:05:58 at Osaka in February. Nishiyama lasted until 40 km, but Teshager got away from him just before 40 km, going on to win 2:07:51 to 2:07:56. Hosoya hung on for 3rd in 2:08:09, with Takumi Oishi 4th in a 2:08:51 PB and his Suzuki teammate Vincent Raimoi the only other runner to break 2:10 at 2:09:25 for 5th.
Nishiyama, Hosoya and Oishi all qualified for the Olympic Trials, bringing the total number of men’s qualifiers so far to 10. And Oishi running 2:08:51 marked the first time that 2012 Olympian Arata Fujiwara has managed to coach a Japanese athlete under the 2:10 barrier. But overall it was hard not to feel a little sad at seeing where Fukuoka really stands now in the sport.
At the Kumamoto Kosa 10-Miler, Hakone Ekiden great Vincent Yegon won a close one, edging Evans Keitany and Kento Nishi to win in 45:52. Keitany was just behind in 45:53, with Nishi joining the short list of Japanese men who have broken 46 minutes with a 45:55 for 3rd. In the men’s 10 km, Mangata Kibet won another close race, finishing 1 second ahead of Victor Kiptum 28:28 to 28:29. Ken Nakayama took the top Japanese spot at 5th in 28:54, with high schoolers Enishi Sonoki and Rintaro Horaguchi break 30 minutes in 29:52 and 29:57. The women’s 5 km was even closer, Yuzu Nishide outleaning Minami Nishiyama, both clocking 15:21 but Nishide getting the win and taking 4 seconds off the relatively weak national record.
A lot more women were in action Saturday at the Edion Distance Challenge meet in Osaka, where the 10000 m had the biggest results. The top 3 went under 31 minutes, Caroline Kariba getting the win in 30:43.42, Tabitha Njeri Kamau next in 30:50.99, and 5000 m NR holder Nozomi Tanaka coming in at all-time Japanese #7 with a 30:54.40 for 3rd. Wakana Kabasawa also picked up all-time Japanese #10 at 4th in 31:03.14.
The top 11 broke 32 minutes, and Ayami Yoshida ran 32:38.74 for 20th, the 2nd-fastest-ever by a Japanese high schooler. Momoa Yamada won the 5000 m A-heat in 15:26.98, with Margaret Ekalale taking the 3000 m in 9:13.38.
© 2025 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
Brett Larner – Japan Running News
