| ■ Specially invited runners from within Japan ■ |
 ◆Men
Toshinari Takaoka
Kanebo
Born: September 24, 1970 (37 years old)
Height: 186 cm; weight: 64 kg |
With a time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 16 seconds achieved at the 2002 Chicago Marathon, Mr. Takaoka remains the current Japanese record holder and can also lay claim to the fourteenth fastest time in the world (as of May 2008). He is truly the fastest Japanese marathon runner alive both in name and substance. A native of Soraku District in Kyoto Prefecture, Mr. Takaoka traveled to Europe in his fourth year of studies at Ryukoku University and set a new Japanese record in the 5,000-meter event. After joining Kanebo upon graduating, he embarked on a brilliant career by breaking Japanese records in three events: the 3,000-meter, 5,000-meter, and 10,000-meter races. At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, he placed seventh in the 10,000-meter event before deciding to concentrate on running marathons. While he was resigned to go to the Athens Olympics in 2004 as an alternate, he won the 2005 Tokyo International Marathon in a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 41 seconds and came in fourth place at the World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki in the same year. In December of last year, he entered the Fukuoka International Marathon in order to secure a ticket to the Olympics and managed to run as part of the lead group for some time but unfortunately failed to realize his long-cherished goal when he succumbed to exhaustion in the latter stages of the race. He is fond of proclaiming that “to dream is to be able to succeed.” Observers are urged to focus on Mr. Takaoka as he once again participates in this event in pursuit of a new dream. |
■Personal best times
1,500 m: 3:40:20 (1999 Dessau International Track and Field Championships)
3,000 m: 7:41:87 (1999 World Track and Field Championships in Seville; Japanese record)
5,000 m: 13:13:40 (1998 Night of Athletics)
10,000 m: 27:35:09 (2001 Cardinal Invitation; Japanese record)
10 miles: 46:19 (1997 Karatsu 10 Miles)
Half marathon: 1:01:07 (2003 All Japan Jitsugyodan Half Marathon)
30 kilometers: 1:29:23 (2001 Kumanichi 30 Kilometers)
Full marathon: 2:06:16 (2002 Chicago Marathon; Japanese record)
■Major race achievements
2005 10th World Track and Field Championships (marathon): fourth
2005 Tokyo International Marathon: first
2000 Sydney Olympics 5,000 m: fifteenth
2000 Sydney Olympics 10,000 m: seventh
1996 Atlanta Olympics 10,000 m (heat 2): twelfth
Participated in five World Championships in Athletics (4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th)
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|  ◆Women
Noguchi Mizuki
Sysmex
Born: July 3, 1978 (29 years old)
Height: 150 cm; weight: 40 kg |
It is by now common knowledge that Ms. Noguchi was a gold medalist at the last Olympics. Her spectacular run in Athens in 2004 has been seared into the memories of countless fans of the sport. A native of Ise City in Mie Prefecture, she graduated from Ujiyamada Commercial High School and represented both Wacoal and Globaly before joining Sysmex. Ms. Noguchi first began to attract serious attention for her performance in half marathons when she won the Inuyama Half Marathon in 1999. She ran brilliantly in this event and finished extremely well in numerous international half marathons over a period of three consecutive years to earn the moniker “Queen of the Half Marathon.” In her very first appearance in a full marathon at the 2002 Nagoya International Women’s Marathon, she crossed the finish line ahead of the rest of the pack. In 2005, Ms. Noguchi posted the third best time ever when she ran the Berlin Marathon in a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 12 seconds. Although she suffered another injury to her left Achilles heel in January 2007, she came back in May to score an impressive victory in this very event, her first competitive race since being sidelined. In November, she entered the Tokyo International Women's Marathon and won it in record time despite the fact that it was her first full marathon in twenty-six months. This achievement allowed Ms. Noguchi to successfully snag her second consecutive ticket to the Olympics. At the same time, she became the first Japanese runner to compile a perfect record in the Big Three set of women’s marathons in Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya). An indefatigable athlete, Ms. Noguchi runs forty kilometers daily in devoted accordance with her watchword: “One is not betrayed by the distance one runs.” She selected the Sendai Half Marathon as her final domestic tune-up race before heading off to Beijing in hopes of becoming the first-ever female winner of two consecutive Olympic marathons. |
■Personal best times
5,000 m: 15:34:36
10,000 m: 31:21:03
Half marathon: 1:07:43 (2006 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon)
Full marathon: 2:19:12 (2005 Berlin Marathon; Japanese record and Asian record)
■Major race achievements
2007 Tokyo International Women’s Marathon: first in 2:21.37
2007 Sapporo International Half Marathon: first in 1:08:22
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: first in 1:08:54
2006 Shanghai International Half Marathon: first in 1:09:03
2006 Sapporo International Half Marathon: first in 1:08:14
2006 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon: second in 1:07:43
2005 Berlin Marathon: first in 2:19:12 (Japanese record and Asian record)
2004 Athens Olympics: first in 2:26:20
2004 Ome Marathon (30 km): first in 1:39:09 (Japanese record at the time)
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| ■ Invited athletes from sister/friendship cities and cities with which exchange-promotion agreements have been concluded ■ |
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Click here for more information on sister/friendship cities and cities with which exchange-promotion agreements have been concluded |
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●Team leader
Bob Bishop |
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●Male runner
Jason Newstrom
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●Female runner
Karla E. Adams
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●Team leader
François Almange
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●Male runner
André Martin
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●Female runner
Séverine Bordeau
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●Team leader
Valery I. Pinchuk |
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●Male runner
Igor V. Zhavoronok
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●Female runner
Alena P. Shantyr
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●Team leader
Román Bello Vargas
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●Male runner
Héctor Alejandro Juárez Amador
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●Female runner
Rosalina Angeles Hernández
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●Team leader
Yang RunZhi
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●Male runner
Yu FangBiao
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●Female runner
Yu Jing
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●Team leader
Pauline Medrano
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●Male runner
Jerod J. Honrath
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●Female runner
Alison J. Semrau
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●Team leader
Jung Gi-Sun
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●Male runner
Kim Chang-Min
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●Female runner
Nam Sun-Hａ
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●Team leader
Lin, Hui-Chen
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●Male runner
Tai, Kun-Ming
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●Female runner
Yang, Cheng-Chi
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| ■ Invited athletes from within Japan ■ |
| Invited athletes from the business community (men)
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Obinata Hideyuki
Fujitsu
2006 Higashi-Nihon Jitsugyodan Ekiden (fifth leg): second
2001 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon: fifth in 2:08:52
(twenty-eighth fastest Japanese time ever at the time)
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Murakami Kazuharu
Fujitsu
2006 Hakone Ekiden (fifth leg): second
(second fastest time ever in the second leg of the Hakone Ekiden)
2004 All Japan University Ekiden (sixth leg): first
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Ietani Kazuo
Sanyo Special Steel
2006 All Japan Jitsugyodan Half Marathon: second in 1:02:00
2005 World Half Marathon: eighth in 1:02:26
・Personal best time in the half marathon: 1:01:30
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Toyoda Takashi
Sanyo Special Steel
2007 Universiade Bangkok (half marathon): third in 1:06:30
・Personal best time in the half marathon: 1:03:50
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Harun Njoroge
Komori Corporation
2008 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon: first in 1:01:35
2008 Chiba International Cross Country (12 km): first in 35:27
2008 Fukuoka International Cross Country (10 km): third in 28:48
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Abe Yuki
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Nagasaki)
2007 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon: seventh in 2:13:47
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: fourth in 1:03:07
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Kobayashi Seiji
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Nagasaki)
2008 Tokyo Marathon: seventh in 2:11:02
2007 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon: fourteenth in 1:02:44
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Shimoju Masaki
Konica Minolta
2008 Kumanichi 30 Kilometers: first in 1:30:33
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Joseph Mwaniki
Konica Minolta
2008 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon: second in 1:01:39
2007 Hakodate Half Marathon: first in 1:01:52
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Wakui Keisuke
Yakult
2007 Tokyo Track and Field Championships (10,000 m): fifth in 30:31:84
2006 Niigata Championships (5,000 m): second in 14:26:19
2005 Ageo City Half Marathon: 1:03:52
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Miyamoto Shuhei
Shindengen Electric Manufacturing
2004 80th Hakone Ekiden (fifth leg): sixteenth in 1:16:56
2003 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon: 1:04:44
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Nishikawa Tetsuo
YKK
2008 Tamana Half Marathon: third in 1:03:19
2001 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon: second in 1:01:48
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Wada Sohei
Shikoku Electric Power Co.
2008 Himeji Castle 10-Mile Road Race: ninth in 48:01
2008 All Japan Jitsugyodan Ekiden (fifth leg; 15.7 km): ninth in 48:09
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Itayama Manabu
Nissin Food Products
2007 Tokyo Marathon: eighth in 2:17:29
2006 Tokyo International Marathon: eighth in 2:17:01
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Iwasa Toshihiro
Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
2006 Japan National Championships (10,000 m): third in 29:01:53
2005 All Japan Jitsugyodan Half Marathon: third in 1:01:36
2003 Japan National Championships (10,000 m): first in 28:17:97
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Kataoka Yusuke
Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
2007 Beijing International Marathon: sixth in 2:12:28
(first among Japanese runners)
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: eighth in 1:03:44
2006 Hokkaido Marathon: third in 2:18:16
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Takamichi Junya
Yachiyo Industry
2008 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon: 2:22:29
2006 Kyoto City Half: eleventh in 1:03:28
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Mori Kazuharu
Yachiyo Industry
2008 Kumanichi 30 Kilometers: 1:33:43
2003 Nagoya Half Marathon: eighth in 1:03:27
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Ibata Masatoshi
Aisan Industry
2006 Sendai International Half Marathon: third in 1:04:20
1995 Tokyo City Half: 1:00:55
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Fujii Hikaru
Aisan Industry
2007 Hakone Ekiden: twenty-first in 59:52
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Iwasaki Takaya
JAL Ground Service
・Personal best time in the half marathon: 1:04:31
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Akutsu Masatomo
JAL Ground Service
・Personal best time in the half marathon: 1:03:28
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Nakao Yusei
Toyota Boshoku
2006 Karatsu 10 Miles: first in 47:09
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Fujiwara Arata
JR East Japan
2008 Tokyo Marathon: second in 2:08:40
2007 Niigata Big Festa (10,000 m): first in 28:52:84
2007 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon: sixth in 1:02:29
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| Invited athletes from the business community (women) |
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Machida Yuko
Nippon Chemi-Con
2007 All Japan Jitsugyodan Women’s Ekiden (fifth leg): sixth
2007 World Road Championships (Half): 1:11:55
2006 Nagoya International Women’s Marathon: fifth in 2:29:48
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Shoi Hiroko
Nippon Chemi-Con
2008 All Japan Jitsugyodan Half Marathon: eighth in 1:12:22
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Iijima Nozomi
Sekisui Chemical
2003 Miyazaki Women’s Road (Half): eighth in 1:10:40
2003 Matsue Ladies’ Half: first in 1:11:12
2003 Universiade Daegu (half marathon): fourth in 1:15:18
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Hayakawa Sayo
Sekisui Chemical
2008 Matsue Ladies’ Half: thirteenth in 1:14:22
2008 Inuyama Half Marathon: third in 1:14:35
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Terada Kei
Tenmaya
2007 Universiade Bangkok (half marathon): second in 1:12:37
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Oshima Megumi
Shimamura
2008 Nagoya International Women’s Marathon: sixth in 2:29:03
2005 Helsinki World Track and Field Championships: tenth in 2:26:29
2005 Nagoya International Women’s Marathon: second in 2:24:25
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Mochizuki Chiyuki
Yamada Denki
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: 1:16:53
2006 Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon: 1:15:40
2005 Hakodate Half Marathon: third in 1:15:26
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Kishi Mizuho
Yamada Denki
・Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 17:42:66
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Invited athletes who have previously placed |
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Ombeche Mokamba
AiDEM
2007 Hokkaido Marathon: third in 2:18:18
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: first in 1:02:29
2006 Shizuoka International GP (10,000 m): second in 28:05:40
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Saito Kozue
Sports Yamagata 21
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: sixth in 1:15:34 |
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Hieda Saori
Bukkyo University
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: eighth in 1:16:26
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| Invited wheelchair athletes |
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Yamamoto Hiroyuki
Yuuai Hospital
2007 Ginowan Wheelchair Marathon (half marathon): first in 45:13
2007 Oita International Wheelchair Marathon: second in 1:23:22
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| Invited wheelchair athletes who have previously placed |
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Sasahara Hiroki
Omron Taiyo
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: first in 43:13
2007 Seoul International Wheelchair Marathon: fourth in 1:22:45
2006 Oita International Wheelchair Marathon: first in 1:24:15
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Hiromichi Jun
Densei-Lambda
2007 Oita International Marathon: fifth in 1:23:23
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: second
2004 Athens Paralympics (800 m): bronze
2000 Sydney Paralympics (800 m): silver
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Higuchi Masayuki
Nagano Athletics Association for the Disabled
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: third in 44:35
2006 Oita International Wheelchair Marathon: fifteenth in 1:25:32
2006 Nagano Wheelchair Marathon: second in 44:32
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| Invited university athletes (men) |
| Takahashi Yuki |
・Nihon University
Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 14:31:60 |
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| Miura Masayuki |
・Nihon University
Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 14:29:30 |
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| Tadano Hiromichi
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・Hosei University
2007 Tachikawa Half Marathon: 1:06:23
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| Okuda Munehiro
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・Hosei University
2008 Tachikawa Half Marathon: 1:05:59
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| Takeshita Masato |
・Nippon Sport Science University
2007 Hakone Ekiden (eighth leg; 21.5 km): sixth in 1:07:30 |
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| Miyauchi Hirokazu |
・Nippon Sport Science University
2007 Ageo City Marathon (half marathon): 1:05:39 |
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| Agatsuma Nobuhiro |
・Komazawa University
2008 National University Half Marathon: 1:05:09
Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 14:26:64
Personal best time in the half marathon: 1:04:30 |
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| Iwai Taishu |
・Komazawa University
2008 Nihondaira Sakura Marathon (23.4 km): first in 1:14:43 |
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| Invited university athletes (women) |
| Kubota Eri |
・Ritsumeikan University
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: 1:16:36 |
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| Sakata Chihiro |
・Ritsumeikan University
2007 Kansai Student Year Championships (5,000 m): 17:03:62 |
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| Matsumoto Saki |
・Ritsumeikan University
2008 Kyoto City Half Marathon: 1:16:54 |
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| Otsuki Nari |
・Ritsumeikan University
2008 Matsue Ladies’ Half Marathon: 1:17:45 |
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| Yamamoto Mayu |
・Kyoto Sangyo University
Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 16:54
Personal best time in the 10,000 m: 35:32 |
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| Invited athletes nominated by athletic associations (men) |
| Kudo Masaya |
・Toyo University
Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 14:31:17 |
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| Hatanaka Masayoshi |
・JGSDF 2nd Artillery Group (Mechanized)
Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 14:53:00 |
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| Ito Shinichi |
・Japan Community
2008 Tokyo Marathon: 2:27:29 |
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| Hori Satoru |
・JGSDF Camp Jinmachi
Personal best time in the 10,000 m: 30:18:51 |
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| Kawabata Junichi |
・TOPPAN TDK Label
2007 Sapporo Marathon (half marathon): fifth in 1:09:55 |
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| Invited athletes nominated by athletic associations (women) |
| Aizu Miyuki |
・Hakuoh University
2008 Tochinoha National Athletic Meet Commemorative Marathon
(10 km): 35:16 |
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| Hara Mikiko |
・Nippon Chemi-Con
2007 All Japan Jitsugyodan Women’s Ekiden (sixth leg; 6.595 km):
fifth in 21:38
2007 Matsue Ladies’ Half Marathon: sixth in 1:10:55 |
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| Kotaka Sachiko |
・Tsuruoka Athletic Association |
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| Kumagai Junko |
・Fukushima Sports Promoting Public Corporation
2008 Sanspo Chiba Marine Marathon (half marathon): fourth in 1:19:06 |
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| Invited athletes nominated by the Tohoku Athletic Association |
| Matsumoto Keita |
・Tohoku Fukushi University
Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 14:17:25
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| Watanabe Yoshiya |
・Tohoku Fukushi University
Personal best time in the 5,000 m: 15:12:11 |
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| Kawaguchi Ryohei |
・Tohoku University
2007 Sponichi Oshu-Maesawa Marathon (half marathon):
seventh in 1:12:50 |
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| Outstanding athletes at the Civic Marathon in Sendai |
| Okutsu Takashi |
・Sanshukai, Tohoku University
2007 Sponichi Oshu-Maesawa Marathon (10 km): first in 31:03
2007 Civic Marathon in Sendai (10 km): first in 31:44
2004 All Japan University Ekiden (sixth leg): nineteenth in 39:20
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| Takahashi Miki |
・Minato Clinic
2007 Civic Marathon in Sendai (10 km): first in 37:11
2007 Matsushima Half Marathon: first in 1:24:16
2007 Sendai International Half Marathon: twenty-fourth in 1:23:43
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| Outstanding athletes at the Kumejima Marathon |
| Ameku Hisashi |
・Ginowan Fire Department
2007 Kumejima Marathon (full marathon): second in 2:42:30
1987 Betsudai Mainichi Marathon: 2:21:30
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| Kato Natsuki |
・Orix Auto
2007 Kumejima Marathon (half marathon): fourth in 1:24:24
2005 NAHA Marathon (full marathon): first in 2:59:07
2001 Sanspo Chiba Marine Marathon: fifth in 1:19:46
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