Mutiso warms up for London with Marugame Half Marathon win

Mutiso, 28, hard charged in the homestretch to post a course record time of 59 minutes 16 seconds to reclaim the Japan’s first Elite Label status half marathon title he lost last year to compatriot Richard Etir.

Emmanuel Maru of Kenya finished second in a personal best time of 59:19 with homeboy Ota Tomoki posting a national record time of 59:27 to round off the podium.

In the streets of London, a star-studded line up lies in wait for Mutiso, with four-time champion Eliud Kipchoge bidding for a record-extending fifth victory at the race after failing to finish at Paris 2024.

Others are Olympic champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, Sebastian Sawe, who in December won on his marathon debut in Valencia, reigning Berlin Marathon champion Milkesa Mengesha and Abdi Nageeye, who won the latest edition of the New York City Marathon.

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo will also race in the men's field, making his marathon debut.

In the last year’s edition, Mutiso waded off Ethiopia’s legendary distance runner Kenenisa Bekele to emerge the surprise winner in 2:04:01 in his London Marathon debut.

“I will prepare without any pressure. I know the lineup is strong but the big names do not scare me. Everyone there is capable of winning and this will not be my first time to face such a strong competition,” said Mutiso a few days before jetting out for Japan.

Meanwhile, 2019 African Under 20 5000m silver medallist Dolphine Nyaboke Omare retained the Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon women's title with a new course record time of 1 hour 6 minutes 5 seconds.

Nyaboke, 22, slashed two seconds off her previous record she set in last year’s edition and that had stood unscathed for seventeen years.

In last year’s edition, the 22-year-old youngster smashed the old course record of 1:07.26 set by Japan’s Kayoko Fukushi with the a new course time of 1:06.07.

Former World Half Marathon bronze medalist Pauline Kaveke Kamulu timed 1:07.33 to finish fourth in this year’s race behind Calli Hauger Thacker of Great Britain (1:06:58) and Australia’s Isobel Batt Doyle (1:07:17), who finished second and third respectively.