The 2019 Amsterdam Marathon champion Vincent Kipchumba has the 2:06:43 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon course record as he prepares to hit the streets of Japan on February 2.
The annual men-only silver label road race runs between Beppu and Oita cities on the island of Kyushu, Japan.
Djibouti’s Ibrahim Hassan holds the course record from last year when he bested Kenya’s Daniel Kipchumba ( 2:06:48 ) and homeboy Tsubasa Ichiyama ( 2:07:44 ).
Kipchumba is eager to make a bold statement with an attack on the course record after overcoming a recurring leg injury.
“I want to break the course record, get on the podium and make this a race that leaves an impression of my complete recovery,” he noted.
The 34-year-old takes an impressive marathon resume to Japan.
He clocked a personal best of 2:04:28 at the 2021 London Marathon, finishing second behind Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma ( 2:04:01 ).
Kipchumba was runner-up to Shura Kitata ( 2:05:42 ) in London in 2020, just a second behind Ethiopia.
Kipchumba’s finest moment was at the 2019 Amsterdam Marathon, where he stormed to victory in 2:05:09, edging Ethiopia’s Solomon Deksisa ( 2:05:16 ) and Elisha Rotich ( 2:05:18 ).
He won the 2019 Vienna City Marathon in 2:06:56 and boasts podium finishes at the Dresden Marathon in 2015 ( 2:15:22 ) and 2016 ( 2:10:32 ).
Joining Kipchumba in Japan is Dominic Nyairo, the 2024 Aveiro Marathon runner-up, who is targeting a podium finish.
“While it’s important to run a fast time, my main goal is to finish in the top three,” he noted.
At Aveiro, Nyairo clocked 2:09:57 behind Morocco’s Mohamed Chaaboud ( 2:09:20 ).
In 2021, he won the Hofu Marathon in 2:09:34 ahead of the Japanese duo of Daichi Kamino ( 2:09:34 ) and Yuki Kawauchi ( 2:10:11 ).
The Kenyans face a formidable field with Ethiopia’s Tesfahun Akalnew, the 2017 African U20 5000m silver medallist and Yohanes Ghebregergis, runner-up at the 2018 Lisbon Half Marathon in the mix.
Home runners Ryu Takaku,
Shohei Otsuka, Junji Ashiba and
Ryo Ohsaki will add depth to
the competition.
