Dawit Wolde claims first title at Gifu Half

Founded by Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist and Gifu native Naoko Takahashi, this World Athletics Gold Label event was created to further promote the sport of athletics and give back to the local community. Under clear, early-summer skies, the 14th edition race featured thrilling head-to-head battles between seasoned veterans and promising newcomers.

The race began in favorable conditions of 15.7°C with a light 0.9 m/s breeze. In the men’s race, Wolde, a 33-year-old with a personal best of 59:58, led the front pack of five alongside debutant Sitonik Kiprono of Kenya and Yegon Vincent of Kenya. After passing the 10 km mark in 28:29, Wolde and Kiprono pulled away from the rest near the 12 km water station, setting up an intense duel. Approaching the 20 km point, Wolde surged ahead, gradually widening his lead until he crossed the finish line at Nagaragawa Stadium filled with the crowd’s cheers in 1:00:06. Reflecting on the race, he said, “Kiprono had great stamina, but I’m glad I could increase my speed at the end.” Kiprono finished second in 1:00:13, with Vincent taking third in 1:01:17.

In the women’s race, World Championships gold (2022) and silver (2023) medalist Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia and 21-year-old debutant Janet Nyiva, who holds a 10000m best of 31:16.01, took the lead from the start. The former world champion and the young rising star ran side by side in a tense battle, but around the 18km mark, Janet surged ahead to break away and continued her charge to the finish, winning her half marathon debut in 1:07:37. Gebreslase placed second in 1:08:29, followed by Eunice Chebichii Chumba of Bahrain in 1:09:07.

The top Japanese woman was Kana Kobayashi, who has been selected to represent Japan in the marathon at this fall’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. She finished fourth with a time of 1:09:09, shaving nearly five minutes off her personal best. The top Japanese man was Tsubasa Ichiyama, who placed sixth with a time of 1:02:21.

In addition to the world’s top elite athletes, 8,952 runners from Japan and abroad took part in the Gifu Half Marathon 2025, enjoying the course that showcased Gifu’s charm—from the magnificent nature of the Nagara River to the historic scenery of Gifu Castle and the castle town, as well as the lively downtown around Gifu Station and Yanagase shopping arcade. Along the course, volunteers and local residents cheered enthusiastically to support the runners, and at the finish area, Race Chairperson Naoko herself welcomed finishers with smiles and high-fives, embodying the spirit of Gifu City coming together to help every runner cross the finish line.

Race Chairperson Naoko Takahashi comments: “In my competitive days, long-distance running was seen as a grueling sport that demanded endurance and sheer grit—something to watch, not to enjoy. After the 2000 Olympics, when I said in an interview, ‘It was such an enjoyable 42 kilometers,’ my comment was met with surprise. Now, seeing so many people sharing that same joy and enjoying running together makes me incredibly happy. Fourteen years since the race was founded, I feel that our original wish—to create an event that both top elites and amateur runners could enjoy the experience together—is finally becoming a reality.”