Hokkaido Marathon: Shintani wins with course record, securing MGC spot

At the Hokkaido Marathon, Hitomi Shintani secured a victory with a course record time of 2:24:14, marking her first marathon win in approximately three years and seven months. Her performance earned her a spot in the Marathon Grand Championship (MGC), the selection event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

In the women’s race, Seira Fuwa achieved second place in her marathon debut with a time of 2:26:04, also qualifying for the MGC. Funa Takeyama finished third at 2:28:08, securing the final qualifying spot for the MGC under the summer marathon criteria.

On the men's side, Naoya Murakami of Aoyama Gakuin University expressed his ambition to secure an MGC qualifying spot to pave his way toward the Hakone Ekiden. Murakami, who previously won the Shizuoka Marathon, aims to utilize the Hokkaido Marathon as a stepping stone for his collegiate and professional marathon career.