Chepyego 1:08:24 CR at Sanyo Women’s Half Marathon – by Brett Larner – Japan Running News

The world's last elite half marathon of the year took place Dec. 23 in Okayama, with a large group of elite Japanese and foreign women squaring off over half marathon and 10 km.  #1-ranked Japan-based Kenyan Sally Chepyego (Team Kyudenko) was the class of the field in the half-marathon division, blasting a solo 1:08:24 course record to take the 2013 title.  

Facing impending retirement, 2013 London Marathon 3rd-placer Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren) ran a race characteristically unmotivated to win, sitting far back in the pack until late in the race and then turning on a token surge to move up through the field, ultimately taking 2nd a minute behind the highly motived Chepyego in 1:09:24.  

Felista Wanjugu (Kenya/Team Universal Entertainment) and Mai Ito (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) ran up in the chase formation with Akaba early in the race before fading, Wanjugu taking 3rd in 1:09:36 in her half marathon debut and Ito dropping to 8th in 1:11:06.  Reia Iwade (Team Noritz) rounded out the sub-70 contingent, 4th overall in a PB 1:09:45.

In the 10 km division, Grace Kimanzi (Kenya/Team Starts) had an easy win over the domestic competiton, winning by 12 seconds in 32:24.  Former Ritsumeikan Univ. ace Risa Takenaka (Team Shiseido) was the top Japanese finisher, 3rd overall in 32:28.

Sanyo Women's Road Race Top Results
Okayama, 12/23/13

Half Marathon
1. Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) – 1:08:24 – CR, PB
2. Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren) – 1:09:24
3. Felista Wanjugu (Kenya/Team Universal Entertainment) – 1:09:36 – debut
4. Reia Iwade (Team Noritz) – 1:09:45 – debut
5. Sayo Nomura (Team Daiichi Seimei) – 1:10:03 – PB
6. Chieko Kido (Canon AC Kyushu) – 1:10:11 – PB
7. Desi Davila (U.S.A.) – 1:10:51
8. Mai Ito (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) – 1:11:06
9. Rika Shintaku (Team Shimamura) – 1:11:23

10 km
1. Grace Kimanzi (Kenya/Team Starts) – 32:24
2. Beatrice Wainaina Murugi (Kenya/Team Toyota Jidoshokki) – 32:36
3. Risa Takenaka (Team Shiseido) – 32:38
4. Mizuki Tanimoto (Team Tenmaya) – 32:50
5. 33:04
6. Megumi Hirai (Canon AC Kyushu) – 33:09
7.  (Sports Yamagata) – 33:13
8. Yukari Abe (Team Shimamura) – 33:17
9. Ayaka Inoue (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) – 33:31

(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserve

by Brett Larner – Japan Running News