Masako Chiba at the 2003 World Championships (© Getty Images)
Tomonori Watanabe won the men’s division of Hokkaido marathon in 2:14:50, while the defending champion Masako Chiba won the women’s division in 2:25:46. It was the new Hokkaido marathon record for Chiba who won this race for the third time. Chiba, of course, is a marathon bronze medalist at the World Championships in Paris two years ago.
Clever tactics pay off for Watanabe
In the men’s race, after a huge lead pack passed 5km in 15:48, James Wainaina of Kenya (but lives in Japan and runs for Japanese corporation Komori Corporation) took over the lead and by 8km, he was running alone. Wainaina continued to run alone and by 15km (46:29), he was 15 seconds ahead of the chase pack. His lead, however, was starting to dwindle soon and by 20km (1:02:09) it was down to 8 seconds.
Four kilometres later, Ombeche Mokamba of Kenya (and also living in Japan) and Tomonori Watanabe caught Wainaina. Then it was Mokamba’s turn to lead. After passing 25km in 1:17:55, Mokamba broke away from his pursuers – David Kariuki, Julius Maina, James Wainaina, Tomonori Watanabe and Tomoyuki Sato.
Kariuki and Maina are also Kenyans and live in Japan. They are also marathon debutants. Mokamba, another debutant, soon hit the wall and started to slow down dramatically. By 36km, Watanabe took over the lead and he was never threatened again. He won by more than a minute in 2:14:50, and thus became the first Japanese winner since 2001, the year his former team-mate Tsutomu Sassa won.
The next two places were filled by Kenyan marathon debutants. Finishing second in the race, over a minute behind, was Julius Maina, who runs for Toyota textile, while David Kariuki who runs for Kyudenko finished third.
Course record for Chiba
The women’s race developed into one-woman show by Masako Chiba since the very early stages. Soon after passing the first 5km in 17:04, Chiba started to break away from Kiyoko Shimahara and Chika Horie.
"Last year, the race was too slow and I had to be careful to avoid colliding with other male runners. So this year I just try to ran near the front in order to secure as much running space as possible," said Chiba after the race.
By 15km (50:41), Chiba was 28 seconds ahead of her pursuers.
By 30km (1:42:37), she led the second place Shimahara by more than a minute. Although Shimahara started to close the gap after 35km, it was too late. Chiba who said, "I am happy to win the race as I have promised before hand," won comfortably in a Hokkaido marathon record of 2:25:46. The previous meet record was 2:26:11, by Chika Horie, who finished third in this year’s race.
Kiyaoko Shimahara, who finished two places ahead of Chiba in the 2004 Tokyo Women’s Marathon, finished one place behind Chiba this time with 2:26:14. It was personal best for Shimahara, improving her previous best of 2:26:43 from the 2004 Tokyo Women’s marathon.
Ken Nakamura, assisted by Akihiro Onishi & Tatsuo Terada, for the IAAF
Results (JPN unless otherwise noted):
Weather temperature: 28C, humidity 45% wind 0.2m/s
Men
1) Tomonori Watanabe 2:14:50
2) Julius Maina (KEN) 2:15:53
3) David Kariuki (KEN) 2:16:09
4) Tomoyuki Sato 2:16:25
Splits for the leader
5Km 15:48 Nakata
10Km 31:13 (15:25) James Wainaina
15Km 46:29 (15:16) Wainaina
20Km 1:02:09 (15:40) Wainaina
25Km 1:17:55 (15:46) Ombeche Mokamba
30Km 1:33:09 (15:14) Mokamba
35Km 1:49:59 (16:50) Mokamba
40Km 2:07:21 (17:22) Tomonori Watanabe
Finish 2:14:50 (7:29) Watanabe
Women
1) Masako Chiba 2:25:46
2) Kiyoko Shimahara 2:26:14
3) Chika Horie 2:29:15
4) Rie Matsuoka 2:34:36
5) Aki Fujikawa 2:35:05
6) Mika Hikita 2:35:25
Split for Chiba
5Km 17:04
10Km 33:47 (16:43)
15Km 50:41 (16:54)
20Km 1:07:46 (17:05)
25Km 1:25:07 (17:21)
30Km 1:42:37 (17:30)
35Km 2:00:02 (17:25)
40Km 2:17:46 (17:44)
Finish 2:25:46 (8:00)
