Winter is prime time for high-quality Japanese marathons. Just one week after the Osaka Marathon for elite women, the 56th Beppu Oita Marathon took place. This time Japan’s male runners had a chance to qualify for the world championship marathon, due to take place at the end of August in Osaka. Former Japanese marathon record holder Atsushi Fujita won comfortably, and is expected to be selected for the Osaka squad. Fujita, who has a personal best of 2:06:51 from Fukuoka in 2000, clocked 2:10:23 on Sunday.

Atsushi Sato (Japan) finished second in 2:11:15, while Kenya’s David Kemboi took third in 2:11:26. Pacemaker Jason Mbote (Kenya) led the field through 20K in 60:47, but after that the pace slowed slightly.

Meanwhile, Benson Barus (Kenya) won the Eldoret Half Marathon in Kenya in 62:44. He was just two seconds ahead of his countryman Jonathan Kipkorir. Considering the high altitude (more than 7,000 feet) of Eldoret, these are fine results. Barus, who was second at the Milan Marathon in 2006 in 2:08:34, hopes to improve to sub-2:08 in Paris in April.