Fukuoka International Marathon Elite Field – Brett Larner – Japan Running News

Last year's winner Yemane Tsegay (Ethiopia) returns off a DNF at August's London World Championships, his 2:08:48 his best time in the last three years. Olympic and World Championships gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich (Uganda) has always run well in Japan and has the best recent performance on paper with a 2:06:33 in Tokyo two years ago, marking him as a potential favorite. Almost even is Lani Rutto (Kenya) with a 2:06:34 in Frankfurt two years ago. For the home crowd, Tokyo-based Bedan Karoki (DeNA) will likely be generating the most fan support, following up a decent 2:07:41 debut in London this year with his Japanese-soil marathon debut. Hot off a 59:48 national record at last week's Valencia Half Marathon, Sondre Moen (Norway) is bound to take a big chunk off his 2:10:07 best and contend up front.

A wildcard is 1:00:01 half marathoner Jake Robertson (New Zealand) in his marathon debut, his twin brother Zane Robertson a DNF in his own debut earlier this month in Amsterdam. Another is Japan-based Charles Ndirangu (JFE Steel), like Karoki a graduate of Hiroshima's Sera H.S. who has wowed Japanese TV audiences for years and will be debuting off a 1:00:18 half marathon best two years at the National Corporate Championships.

The Fukuoka International Marathon will be broadcast live nationwide. As usual, JRN will also cover the race live @JRNLive. Check back closer to race date for more info on watching online and other options for following the season's last top-level marathon.

71st Fukuoka International Marathon

Elite Field Highlights
Fukuoka, 12/3/17
click here for complete field listing
times listed are best within last three years except where noted

Stephen Kiprotich (Uganda) – 2:06:33 (Tokyo 2015)
Lani Rutto (Kenya) – 2:06:34 (Frankfurt 2015)
Bedan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA) – 2:07:41 (London 2017)
Amanuel Mesel (Eritrea) – 2:08:18 (Warsaw 2015)
Yemane Tsegay (Ethiopia) – 2:08:48 (Fukuoka International 2016)
Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mongolia/NTN) – 2:08:50 (Fukuoka International 2014)
Satoru Sasaki (Japan/Asahi Kasei) – 2:08:56 (Fukuoka International 2015)
Yuki Kawauchi (Japan/Saitama Pref. Gov't) – 2:09:01 (Gold Coast 2016)
Melaku Abera (Ethiopia/Kurosaki Harima) – 2:09:27 (Beppu-Oita 2016)
Takuya Fukatsu (Japan/Asahi Kasei) – 2:09:31 (Biwako 2016)
Fumihiro Maruyama (Japan/Asaki Kasei) – 2:09:36 (Biwako 2016)
Chiharu Takada (Japan/JR Higashi Nihon) – 2:10:03 (Fukuoka International 2014)
Sondre Moen (Norway) – 2:10:07 (Hannover 2017)
Suguru Osako (Japan/Nike Oregon Project) – 2:10:28a (Boston 2017)
Hayato Sonoda (Japan/Kurosaki Harima) – 2:10:40 (Fukuoka International 2016)
Taiga Ito (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) – 2:10:52 (Beppu-Oita 2017)
Paulo Roberto Paula (Brazil) – 2:11:02 (Fukuoka International 2015)
Michael Githae (Kenya/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) – 2:11:40 (Shizuoka 2017)
Kazuhiro Maeda (Japan/Kyudenko) – 2:11:46 (Biwako 2015)
Tadashi Suzuki (Japan/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) – 2:12:09 (Shizuoka 2017)
Yuki Sato (Japan/Nissin Shokuhin) – 2:12:14 (London 2016)
Kazuya Ishida (Japan/Nishitetsu) – 2:12:25 (Beppu-Oita 2016)
Keisuke Kusaka (Japan/Hitachi Butsuryu) – 2:12:42 (Beppu-Oita 2017)
Daisuke Uekado (Japan/Otsuka Seiyaku) – 2:12:58 (Biwako 2017)
Tyler Pennell (U.S.A.) – 2:14:57 (L.A. Olympic Trials 2017)

Do-Over
Teklemariam Medhin (Eritrea) – 2:22:36 (Tokyo 2016)
Collis Birmingham (Australia) – 1:02:01 (Marugame Half 2016)

Debut
Jake Robertson (New Zealand) – 1:00:01 (Lisbon Half 2017)
Charles Ndirangu (Kenya/JFE Steel) – 1:00:18 (National Corporate Half 2015)
Daichi Kamino – 1:01:04 (Japan/Marugame Half 2017)
Keita Shitara (Japan/Hitachi Butsuryu) – 1:01:12 (National Corporate Half 2015)

© 2017 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Brett Larner – Japan Running News