OSAKA INTERNATIONAL LADIES MARATHON, JAPAN

Britain's Mara Yamauchi passed Japan's Kayoko Fukushi at 34.6km and went on to win writes Ken Nakamura. It was a personal best by three seconds and the first marathon victory for Yamauchi. Tomo Morimoto, in second, was the only one of the top five who did not set a new personal best. Japan-based Kenyan Julia Mombi, in third, and Miki Ohira in fourth both improved by more than three minutes. Madoka Ogi debuted in fifth place.

Previous winner Lidia Simon finished sixth in her fastest time since 2005. Altogether thirteen runners broke 2:30, but pre-race co-favourite Yumiko Hara pulled out of the race at the last minute citing a cold.

Kayoko Fukushi pulled away from the pack after the first kilometre and then ran alone for the next 33km. A pack of 18 chased Fukushi who was already 22 seconds ahead by 5km. At 10km Fukushi led 15 runners by 43 seconds; at 15km they were 96 seconds in arrears. By 20km, the chasing pack was down to 14 runners and by 25km 10 were left. In the next 5km the chase pack thinned to eight, but started to close the gap on Fukushi. Fukushi encountered real trouble after 31km, taking 3:44 for the next kilometre and then 3:56 between 33-34km.

Morimoto then started to push and soon she only had four runners for company – Tomo Morimoto, Mara Yamauchi, Madoka Ogi and Julia Mombi. Starting at 32km, Yamauchi started opening a gap on her three opponents. The sustained attack by the Briton was enough for Yamauchi to catch and pass the slowing Fukushi at 34.6km. Morimoto and Mombi also passed faltering Fukushi, while Ogi was losing ground to this pair.

Yamauchi continued to pull ahead, while Morimoto and Mombi were running together, 10 seconds behind at 35km. It grew to 28 seconds by 40km, as Morimoto pulling six seconds ahead of Mombi. Morimoto chased Yamauchi hard but could only narrow the gap by a few seconds.

"I was hoping to run little faster, but a win is a win, so I am very happy," said Yamauchi, who is married to a Japanese national and lives in Japan. She gave her post-race interview in Japanese. "Because I slowed down on the same course last year in the World Championships, I made sure to finish strongly today."

Source: wwww.aims.org

WOMEN (ONLY):
1 Mara YAMAUCHI GBR 2:25:10
2 Tomo MORIMOTO JPN 2:25:34
3 Julia MOMBI KEN 2:26:00
4 Miki OHIRA JPN 2:26:09
5 Madoka OGI JPN 2:26:55
6 Lidia SIMON ROM 2:27:17
7 Mika OKUNAGA JPN 2:27:52
8 Aki FUJIKAWA JPN 2:28:06
9 Constantina DITA-TOMESCU ROM 2:28:15
10 Christelle DAUNAY FRA 2:28:24