Organisers of the Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon have revealed the entry list for the IAAF Silver Label road race on 4 February.
World record-holder Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea heads the men’s entries, while two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya is the top name in the women’s field.
Five-time world half marathon champion Tadese, who set the world record of 58:23 back in 2010, will be competing in Marugame for the first time in his long and distinguished career. He will face the likes of Kenyan trio Bernard Kimani, Dominic Kiptarus and Wilson Kiprono Too, as well as Uganda’s Moses Kibet.
Local fans will be hoping that national record-holder Yuta Shitara, or indeed compatriors Kenta Murayama and Keijiro Mogi, will become the first Japanese athletes in 12 years to win the men’s race in Marugame.
Kiplagat, who last year earned the silver medal in the marathon at the IAAF World Championships just three months before turning 38, will also be making her Marugame debut.
Japan’s Kayoko Fukushi, a three-time winner in Marugame, is also in the field, along with compatriots Michi Numata and Mai Ito.
Kenya’s Betsy Saina, USA’s Sara Hall and Australia’s Jessica Trengove will also line up for the race next month.
ELITE FIELD
Men
Zersenay Tadese (ERI) 58:23
Bernard Kimani (KEN) 1:00:05
Yuta Shitara (JPN) 1:00:17
Moses Kibet (UGA) 1:00:44
Kenta Murayama (JPN) 1:00:50
Dominic Kiptarus (KEN) 1:00:53
Keijiro Mogi (JPN) 1:00:54
Wilson Kiprono Too (KEN) 1:00:57
Daichi Kamino (JPN) 1:01:04
Keita Shitara (JPN) 1:01:12
Patrick Muendo Mwaka (KEN) 1:01:51
Edward Waweru (KEN) 1:02:08
Takuya Noguchi (JPN) 1:02:21
Suehiro Ishikawa (JPN) 1:02:23
Hiroaki Sano (JPN) 1:02:40
Women
Kayoko Fukushi (JPN) 1:07:26
Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 1:07:41
Betsy Saina (KEN) 1:09:27
Michi Numata (JPN) 1:09:27
Sara Hall (USA) 1:09:37
Mai Ito (JPN) 1:09:57
Riko Matsuzaki (JPN) 1:11:04
Jessica Trengove (AUS) 1:11:07
Kellys Arias (COL) 1:11:21
Yomogi Akasaka (JPN) 1:11:41
Miharu Shimokado (JPN) 1:11:48
