Top Invited runners for Marugame half Marathon on Feb 2 – By Ken Nakamura

Invited runners for 68th Marugame Half marathon which doubles as the qualifying race for  the Japanese team for the 21st World Half Marathon marathon championships, is scheduled  to be held on February 2.

On the men's side, Martin Mathathi, 3rd at 10000m in 2007 World Championships as well as 3rd in the long race  at the 2006 WOrld Cross Country Championships, has the fastest half marathon time of 58:56 recorded in the 2011 Great North Run. Mathathi has another sub-60 min half marathon, 59:48 in 2010 Sendai Half Marathon, in his credit.

Recently, Mathathi recorded 2:07:16 for the marathon when he won 2013 Fukuoka Marathon.

Other big name is Adhane Yemane Tsegaye. Although his half marathon best is only 61:37 recorded in 2010 Praha  half marathon, his marathon best is very respectalbe 2:04:48, recorded when he won the 2012 Rotterdam marathon.  Thus he should have much faster half marathon in him.

Amanuel Mesel of ERI has the second fastest half marathon best, 1:00:10 recorded in 2013 Praha half marathon.
  
The best Japanese is Chihiro Miyawaki, who won 2012 All JPN Corporate team half marathon championships in  Yamaguchi with 1:00:53. Miyawaki ran the 2012 World Half marathon championships, but he was dismal 58th  in Karavna, due to stomach problem he picked in Bulgaria.  His 10000m best is quite respectable 27:41.57, the time he ran twice – in 2011 and 2012. 

Other big Japanese names is Arata Fujiwara, who has the half marathon best of 1:01:34 from 2012 Marugame half marathon.  More importantly, his marathon best is 2:07:48 recorded in 2012 Tokyo Marathon.

Yusei Nakao's claim to fame is his fifth place finish at 2008 World Half marathon championships, where he recorded  1:02:05, his second fastest time of his career.  His half marathon best of 1:02:00 recorded in 2008 Sendai Marathon. Incidentally, his father Takayuki Nakao is the first Japanese to crack 2:20 for the marathon.

On the women's side Jessica Augusto, who has the best of 1:09:08 from 2009 Great North run, is the fastest in the field.   She has marathon best of 2:24:33 from 2011 London Marathon, and 10000m best of 31:19.15 from 2010.

Second fastest half marathon runner in the field is Yukari Sahaku, who is coached by legendary marathon  coach Yoshio Koide. She was second in 2008 Tokyo Marathon, and her half marahton best is 1:09:36 recorded  in 2009 Sapporo Half marathon

Other invited runners from abroad are Yolanda Caballero, who has 1:10:30 best and Aliaksandra Duliba, who has the  best of 1:11:30. Both have quite respectable marathon time, Duliba 2:23:44 and Caballero 2:26:17.

Ken Nakamura

Men
Amanuel Mesel (ERI) 1:00:10    2013 Praha half marathon
Collis Birmingham (AUS) 1:00:56 2013 Marugame Half marathon
Adhane Yemane Tsegaye (ETH)    1:01:37 2010 Praha Half Marathon
Jeff Eggleston (USA) 1:03:41    2013 BAA Half Marathon
Daniel Gitau (KEN)    1:01:01 2012 Marugame Half marathon
Martin Mathathi (KEN)    58:56    2011 Great North Run

Japanese
Chihiro Miyawaki    1:00:53 2012 All JPN Corporate team Half marathon in Yamaguchi
Arata Fujiwara 1:01:34 2012 Marugame Half marathon
Akihiko Tsumurai 1:01:58 2010 All JPN Corporate team Half Marathon in Yamguchi
Yusei Nakao    1:02:00    2008 Sendai Half Marathon 
Kenta Murayama    1:01:19 2013 Marugame Half marathon
Tomohiro Tanigawa    1:02:17 2013 Marugame Half marathon
Kenta Inuma 1:02:09    2012 Marugame Half marathon 
Hideaki Tamura    1:02:37    2013 Marugame Half marathon

Women   
Jessica Augusto (POR) 1:09:08    2009 Great North Run     
Yolanda Caballero (COL) 1:10:30 2013 New York city Half
Aliaksandra Duliba (BLR) 1:11:30 2013 Chicago (en route to the marathon)

Japanese
Yukari Sahaku 1:09:36    2009 Sapporo Half marathon 
Eri Hayakawa 1:10:13 2013 Marugame Half marathon
Misato Horie    1:10:26 2013 Marugame Half Marathon
Azusa Nojiri    1:10:53 2009 All Corporate team Half marathon Champ in Yamaguchi
Michi Numata    1:12:47 2013 Sanyo Road race in Okayama
Ayame Takagi    1:11:10 2012 Matsue Ladies half marathon
Aiko Sakata 1:13:26 2013 Matsue Ladies half Marathon 
Kotomi Takayama    1:12:04    2013 Sanyo Road race in Okayama