Sheila Chepkirui claims Nagoya victory

Sayaka Sato of Japan finished second in 2 hours, 20 minutes, and 59 seconds, making significant progress in securing a spot on Japan’s team for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. Eunice Chebichii Chumba of Bahrain took third place with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 35 seconds.

The race commenced under clear skies with a temperature of 9.8 degrees Celsius, humidity of 34.4%, and a wind speed of 0.7m/s, and a lead pack consisting of Chepkirui, Sato, Chumba, and Rika Kaseda of Japan set the pace, reaching the halfway point at 1 hour, 10 minutes, and 37 seconds. When the pacemakers left at 30 km, Chepkirui and Chumba sped up and triggered a decisive battle. Sato followed in third, with Kaseda close behind in fourth.

Sato, who described her strength as persistence during the pre-race press conference, tenaciously pursued the leaders, momentarily falling behind but catching up around 35–36 km to move up to second in the pack. Although she further increased her pace, Chepkirui, who maintained a steady lead throughout the race, crossed the finish line first in 2 hours, 20 minutes, and 40 seconds to claim the championship. In a post-race interview, she expressed her joy, stating, “I’m so happy and want to thank God for good health and the energy. My strength comes from the training and positive mind.”

Sato, who ran with remarkable resilience to the end, finished second with a personal best of 2 hours, 20 minutes, and 59 seconds. This was the ninth-fastest marathon time in history by a Japanese woman, bringing her much closer to securing a ticket for the 2025 World Championships. Reflecting on her performance, she commented, “I was determined to set a personal best, so I’m really happy. The training I’ve done gave me confidence in the tough moments.”

While the elite athletes engaged in a world-class competition, a total of 15,804 female runners from Japan and abroad took part in the race, enjoying the world’s largest women’s marathon under the bright blue sky in Nagoya. Every finisher was presented with an exclusive crystal tumbler from Baccarat, a renowned French luxury brand, handed one by one by special volunteers dressed in tuxedos.

The Marathon Expo, held in conjunction with the race, featured various events, including the “GO RUNWAY × GO WOMEN” fashion show, which highlighted the latest fashion and sports-inspired styles at the finish area, and a mini live concert by a popular singer “hitomi,” who performed the Japanese national anthem at the start ceremony. Over three days, more than 100 thousand visitors took part in this celebration of women’s running, an event Nagoya proudly showcases to the rest of the world.

The Race Organizer comments: “We are sincerely grateful to all the runners for their participation and to all the volunteers, staff, and citizens of Nagoya for their support.”