Japan wins international ekiden

CHIBA (Kyodo) Four of the six Japanese runners ran the fastest time in their respective legs, helping the host team win its first Chiba international ekiden road relay in two years on Monday.

Japan crossed the line in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 58 seconds in the six-leg 42.195-km race, which was contested by 15 teams from 13 countries and mixed three men with as many women.

A select team of Japanese university students followed in second in 2:07:47, while Kenya, featuring reigning world marathon gold medalist Abel Kirui and Beijing Olympics silver medalist Catherine Ndereba, took third in 2:08:34.

Yuichiro Ueno surrendered the lead to Australia's Craig Mottram in the opening leg but Yuriko Kobayashi rallied to win the next leg to give Japan the lead that Kensuke Takezawa, Yukiko Akaba, Atsushi Sato and Yurika Nakamura held until the end.

"This was the first time that I crossed the finishing tape," said anchor Nakamura. "I could run my part in a relaxed way because of the big lead that the previous runners gave me."