L. MathekaNyaga, Kipkemoi win inaugural Tokyo Legacy half marathon
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 17.10.22. | 10:58
Roughly 14,000 runners took part, according to organisers, with the race starting and finishing at the Games' focal venue, the Japan National Stadium.
Africa championships 10,000m gold medalist Caroline Nyaga led Kenya’s onslaught at the inaugural Tokyo Legacy half marathon organised to commemorate last year's Olympics and Paralympics.
The national police service athlete who also bagged bronze in 5000m at the African champs outran 2022 National Corporate half marathon champion Dolphine Nyaboke for the win, breaking her personal best (PB) by over a minute and a half in 1:08:23. Nyaboke was 2nd in 1:09:46.
On the climb back up to the stadium 2022 Hokkaido Marathon winner Haruka Yamaguchi broke away from American Betsy Saina to take third in 1:10:35. Saina faded badly in the last 2 km but held off marathoner Mao Kiyota by 5 seconds for fourth in 1:11:13.
The Afro-gene is something else 😂.
— Manzuと申します (@mahnzu) October 16, 2022
Took this video during the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon October 16th…, 8 AM… pic.twitter.com/nx7Cfrn3mC
Meanwhile, the men’s race saw Kenyan Vincent Kipkemoi beat Japan-based world all-time number four Alexander Mutiso for the win 1:00:10 as Mutiso settled for second place in 1:00:29.
Third and fourth places went to Benard Kimeli and Vincent Raimoi also getting under 61 minutes despite the tough uphill finish. Kenyans took the top eight spots.
Winning a three-way sprint finish on the track for ninth and top Japanese honors was Kenta Murayama, outkicking marathoners Daisuke Uekado and Yusuke Nishiyama to finish in 1:02:14.
Men
1. Vincent Kipkemoi (Kenya) - 1:00:10
2. Alexander Mutiso (ND Software) - 1:00:29
3. Benard Kimeli (Fujitsu) - 1:00:36
4. Vincent Raimoi (Suzuki) - 1:00:56
5. Macharia Ndirangu (Aichi Seiko) - 1:01:11
6. Joseph Karanja (Aichi Seiko) - 1:01:32
7. Joel Mwaura (Kurosaki Harima) - 1:02:04
8. Benson Tunyo (Kenya) - 1:02:07
9. Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 1:02:14
10. Daisuke Uekado (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 1:02:15
Women
1. Caroline Nyaga (Kenya) - 1:08:23
2. Dolphine Omare Nyaboke (U.S.E.) - 1:09:46
3. Haruka Yamaguchi (AC Kita) - 1:10:35
4. Betsy Saina (U.S.A.) - 1:11:13
5. Mao Kiyota (Suzuki) - 1:11:18
6. Natsuki Omori (Daihatsu) - 1:11:46
7. Kotona Ota (Japan Post) - 1:11:54
8. Beatrice Cheburet (Kenya) - 1:12:33
9. Ikumi Fukura (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 1:13:33
10. Rie Kawauchi (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 1:14:47
