The is an annual road running competition which takes place in early February in Marugame, Japan. It currently holds IAAF Silver Label Road Race status and the professional races attract over 1000 entries each year,Ota, Shigenobu (2009-02-02). Marugame Half Marathon. ARRS. Retrieved on 2010-02-07. and hosted by the Sankei Shimbun, Sankei Sports, Okayama Broadcasting, BS Fuji.
The race in Marugame was first held in 1947 as a full-length marathon, known as the Kagawa Marathon. A companion 20 km race began in 1949 in addition to the scheduled marathon. The course lengths were gradually reduced over time: the main race lasted as a full marathon until 1961 when a 35 km race was held and the shorter race became a 10 km competition. The main race was again shortened in 1971, being reduced to a 20 km race. The competitions were known as the Kagawa Road Races until 1997, when the main race was slightly extended to the half marathon distance and the competition received its current moniker.
Competitors in the professional races are largely Japanese athletes, supplemented by African athletes based in the country. In addition, a small number of foreign athletes are invited to compete each year.Larner, Brett (2009-01-29). Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon - Preview. Japan Running News. Retrieved on 2010-02-07.Nakamura, Ken (2010-02-05). Can Mogusu and Yamauchi repeat at Marugame Half Marathon? – Preview. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-02-07. The level of competition is strong: Kenyan runner Mekubo Mogusu recorded a sub-60 minute time in 2007 for the men's course record (59:48), while the women's course record of 1:07:26, set by Kayoko Fukushi in 2006, is the Asian record for the half marathon.Nakamura, Ken (2006-02-05). Fukushi sets Asian Half-Marathon record in Marugame. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-02-07. The course is AIMS-certified making performances at the course eligible for national and world records.AIMS Race Directory. AIMS. Retrieved on 2010-02-07.
The course of the half marathon is largely linear, beginning at the Marugame Stadium and heading eastwards before abruptly looping back to follow the same path back towards the finish point within the stadium.Course Map . Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon. Retrieved on 2010-02-07.
Past winners
Early distances Key:
EditionYearMen's winnerTime (h:m:s)1st19472:47:302nd19482:39:543rd19492:40:084th19502:39:215th19512:39:416th19522:37:277th19532:49:168th19542:35:08—1955Not held—9th19562:54:5610th19573:15:2011th19583:00:5412th19592:44:0213th19602:45:4314th19612:12:1815th19622:09:1316th19632:09:5317th19642:03:4318th19652:01:4719th19662:02:0220th19672:01:57—1968Not held—21st19691:55:1522nd19701:56:5523rd19711:05:5924th19721:07:0625th19731:08:5026th19741:08:0327th19751:08:4428th19761:07:4229th19771:06:2330th19781:04:2631st19791:04:4332nd19801:03:5333rd19811:03:4534th19821:04:0935th19831:08:3336th19841:04:5737th19851:05:3338th19861:05:1139th19871:04:4540th19881:08:1941st19891:06:3442nd19901:06:1643rd19911:02:2144th19921:08:3045th19931:04:0946th19941:08:1147th19951:05:3648th19961:04:20
Half marathon Key: EditionYearMen's winnerTime (h:m:s)Women's winnerTime (h:m:s)49th19971:09:01Not held—50th19981:09:00Not held—51st19991:08:02Not held—52nd20001:02:591:09:5753rd20011:02:281:09:2854th20021:01:431:09:3355th20031:00:211:09:3256th20041:01:551:10:4657th20051:01:361:09:3458th20061:02:131:07:26 AR59th200759:481:08:0060th20081:01:351:07:5761st20091:00:371:08:2962nd2010Nakamura, Ken & Yamada, Tatsuya (2010-02-07). Gitau and Chapple pull off upsets at Marugame Half. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-02-07.1:01:081:08:3763rd2011Nakamura, Ken (2011-02-06). Ndungu and Fukushi take victories at Marugame Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-02-06.1:00:551:09:0064th2012Nakamura, Ken (2012-02-05). Convincing wins for Kisorio and Gelana in Marugame. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-02-12.1:00:021:08:4865th2013Nakamura, Ken (2013-02-03). Gelana under pressure but retains Marugame Half Marathon title. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-02-11.1:00:561:08:5366th2014Nakamura, Ken (2014-02-02). Mathathi and Makikawa win in Marugame. IAAF. Retrieved on 2014-02-02.1:00:111:10:2767th2015Nakamura, Ken (2015-02-02). Course record for Kuira at Marugame Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2014-02-02.59:471:10:4168th20161:00:491:08:0669th2017, Sankei Shimbun, 産経ニュース sankei.com 2017-02-05 1:00:001:08:0770th20181:00:311:09:1771st20191:00:241:07:4972nd202059:571:08:10Editions 73rd (2021) and 74th (2022) were not held due to COVID-19 pandemic in Japan75th202359:171:07:2276th202459:321:06:0777th202559:161:06:05
Statistics Note: All statistics apply to international half marathon only
Winners by country CountryMen's raceWomen's raceTotal 14 3 17 6 10 16 2 2 4 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1
Multiple winners AthleteCountryWinsYearsYoshihiro Hiramori21997, 1998Laban Kagika22002, 2005Yasuko Hashimoto22003, 2004Kayoko Fukushi22006, 2007, 2011Mekubo Mogusu22007, 2009Eunice Kirwa22016, 2017Betsy Saina22018, 2019
See also Tokyo Marathon Osaka International Ladies Marathon (Osaka Women's Marathon) Sankei Shimbun - daily newspaper in Japan Okayama Broadcasting. Fujisankei Communications Group - Sankei Shimbun and Fuji Television, the largest media conglomerate in Japan
References
External links Official website