Yasuko Hashimoto wins the 2007 Nagoya International Women’s Marathon in Nagoya, Japan (© AFP / Getty Images)
Yasuko Hashimoto, who finished fifth in 2003, twelfth in 2004, fourth in 2005 and sixth in 2006 at the Nagoya International Women’s Marathon in Nagoya, Japan, finally won the race taking today’s 2007 edition with 2:28:49.
The defending champion, Harumi Hiroyama finished a close second with 2:28:55, while Takami Ominami, who was sixth in 2004 and eighth in 2005, finished third, 29 seconds behind Hiroyama.
A couple of marathon rookies ran well. Miki Ohira was fourth with 2:29:34, while Yuko Manabe was seventh with 2:30:34. Julia Mombi, who runs for the Japanese corporate team, finished fifth with 2:29:38, a massive improvement from the 2006 Beijing Marathon where she ran 2:37:50. Haruko Okamoto, who finally returned from a series of injuries, stayed with the leaders until 35Km and finished sixth in 2:30:04.
How the race unfolded:
The two pacemakers Alevtina Ivanova (RUS) and Volha Krautsova (BLR) – who had been asked to run each 5Km at 17:00 to 17:10 pace – led a pack of 15 through 1Km in 3:23 and 5Km in 17:18. By 10Km (34:32) five had fallen off the pace - Lyubov Denisova, Aki Fujikawa, Maya Nishio, Mika Okunaga and Ayumi Nakayama – leaving a group of ten in the lead as the race when through 10km. These leaders were Alevtina Ivanova, Volha Krautsova, Mikie Takanaka, Harumi Hiroyama, Julia Mombi, Miki Ohira, Yasuko Hashimoto, Takami Ominami, Yuko Manabe and Haruko Okamoto.
A break appeared shortly after 10km as Mikie Takanaka and the two pacemakers broke away from the other seven, passing 15Km in 51:42, with their nearest opponents 11 seconds behind, a gap which by 20Km (1:09:07 for the three leaders) had increased to 35 seconds. Soon after the half marathon (1:13:02 for the leaders) Krautsova dropped out leaving Ivanova and Takanaka in front, 39 seconds ahead of the chase pack of seven.
But the pace started to slow after 24Km - Takanaka taking 3:48 for the 1Km between 24Km to 25Km - and after 25Km (1:26:59), Ivanova dropped out of the race leaving Takanaka alone in front 42 seconds ahead of the chasing pack of seven runners. However, three kilometres later the race, the chase pack caught and passed the leader, passing 30Km in 1:45:49.
The first casualty of the new leading group was Yuko Manabe who dropped off the pace at 33Km, and the remaining six passed 35Km in 2:03:39, at which point the real racing began, and Okamoto was the next to be dropped from the vanguard.
After passing the ‘4Km to go’ sign in 2:15:07, Hiroyama surged taking Hashimoto with her, leaving Ohira, Ominami and Mombi behind.
Hiroyama and Hashimoto run together until 600m from the finish when it was Hashimoto’s turn to make a move. Covering the final Km in 3:15, Hashimoto run away from Hiroyama and won by six seconds in 2:28:49.
Hashimoto thanked everyone who had anything to do with in her marathon career. “I had many injuries in the last few years. I would like to thank my doctors who helped me return to my running. I would also like to thank my coach Yoshihiko Morioka, who believed in me,” said Hashimoto.
“I knew Hashimoto could win,” said her coach Morioka.
“I thought the race would come down to the sprint on the track, so I wasn’t ready when Hashimoto surged early. I had no strength left in my leg anymore to give her a chase,” said Hiroyama.
Osaka on their minds
For Hashimoto, it was her first marathon win domestically, although she won the 2003 Berlin Marathon. Since her time today was not below 2:26, she was not selected automatically for the marathon team for the World Championships in Osaka. Like Reiko Tosa, who won the 2006 Tokyo International Women’s Marathon, Hashimoto will have to wait for the announcement on Monday 12 March.
The team of five is likely to include the top three finishers – Yumiko Hara, Mari Ozaki and Yuri Kano - from Osaka Ladies Marathon, Tosa and Hashimoto.
Ken Nakamura for the IAAF
Assisted by Akihiro Onishi
Weather: Sunny; temperature 10.2C; humidity 46%; Wind 3m/s North
Results:
1) Yasuko Hashimoto 2:28:49
2) Harumi Hiroyama 2:28:55
3) Takami Ominami 2:29:24
4) Miki Ohira 2:29:34
5) Julia Mombi (KEN) 2:29:38
6) Haruko Okamoto 2:30:09
7) Yuko Manabe 2:30:34
8) Mika Okunaga 2:31:08
9) Tomoho Shimokawa 2:31:37
10) Aliana Gherasim (ROM)2:32:33
11) Yuko Machida 2:33:50
12) Ayumi Nakayama 2:33:57
13) Ayumi Hayashi 2:34:45
14) Naoko Uchida 2:34:59
15) Maya Nishio 2:35:51
Splits (for the leader):
5Km 17:18 Alevtina Ivanova
10Km 34:32 (17:14) Volha Krautsova
15Km 51:42 (17:10) Volha Krautsova
20Km 1:09:07 (17:25) Alevtina Ivanova
Half 1:13:02 Alevtina Ivanova
25Km 1:26:59 (17:52) Alevtina Ivanova
30Km 1:45:49 (18:50) Harumi Hiroyama
35Km 2:03:39 (17:50) Takami Ominami
40Km 2:21:30 (17:51) Harumi Hiroyama
Finish 2:28:49 (7:19) Yasuko Hashimoto
Splits for the winner (Hashimoto):
5Km 17:20
10Km 34:32 (17:12)
15Km 51:55 (17:23)
20Km 1:09:43 (17:48)
Half 1:13:41
25Km 1:27:42 (17:59)
30Km 1:45:50 (18:08)
35Km 2:03:39 (17:49)
40Km 2:21:30 (17:51)
Finish 2:28:49 (7:19)
