Kawauchi Runs Marathon Course Record In Japan
- By Duncan Larkin
- Published Feb. 4, 2013
The “blue-collar” runner continues his winning streak.
Yuki Kawauchi prevailed in the 62nd Beppu-Oita Marathon over the weekend. The Japanese runner, who holds down a full-time job, won in a thrilling race against rival Kentaro Nakamoto.
Kawauchi is the fastest runner in Japan who isn’t a pro.
Nakamoto took sixth in last year’s Summer Olympics in London.
The pair fought from the second half of the race all the way until the final 2 kilometers. At that point, Kawauchi shook his rival and won in 2:08:15. His win was also a new course record, improving South Africa’s Gert Thys’ old mark by 15 seconds.
“I was hurting but I did not want to run a slow tactical race,” Kawauchi said. “I fell little short of my goal of 2:07, but I am happy to run faster than Hiroyuki Horibata’s time in Fukuoka [2:08:24]. After 21 marathon runs, I can now say with confidence how fun marathon running can be.”
For More: IAAF
FILED UNDER: News / Race Coverage TAGS: Beppu-Oita Marathon / Kentaro Nakamoto / Yuki Kawauchi
Duncan Larkin
Duncan Larkin is the news editor at Competitor.com and a freelance journalist who’s been covering the sport of running for over five years. He’s run 2:32 in the marathon and won the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race in 2007. His first running book, RUN SIMPLE, was released last July.