Nishimura Mizuki wins her debut marathon and earns MGC spot with 2:25:54
On 7 December, the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon was held in Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. There, 21-year-old Nishimura Mizuki of the Tenmaya women’s athletics team won her first-ever full marathon in a fast 2:25:54 (provisional). The time was well inside the 2:27:00 standard required to earn a place at the Marathon Grand Championship (MGC), and she secured her ticket in style.
Just a month earlier, at the Queens Ekiden, Nishimura produced a sensational run on the fifth leg, overtaking seven runners and playing a major role in Tenmaya’s top-eight finish. Riding that momentum, she lined up in Hofu for her debut over the 42.195 km distance and delivered an outstanding performance.
Right from the start she went to the front and settled into a steady rhythm behind the pacemaker. She passed the 30 km mark in 1:43:16, maintaining a calm and controlled stride. In the closing stages she held off Morita Ayumi (Tokyo Metro) in a one-on-one battle, finding another gear to break away and claim victory.
Top women’s results (provisional)
*All times are provisional and based on early race reports.
| Rank | Athlete | Team / Affiliation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nishimura Mizuki | Tenmaya | 2:25:54 |
| 2 | Morita Ayumi | Tokyo Metro | 2:26:48 |
| 3 | Uchida Noriko | Oita Athletics Association | 2:48:14 |
| 4 | Takami Manami | Nagato Chuo Pharmacy | 2:48:40 |
| 4 | Shimizu Hotaka | GRlab | 2:49:24 |
Official race information
For full results, course details and race information, please visit the official website of the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon:
Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Official Website
A 21-year-old hope carrying on Tenmaya’s marathon tradition
Nishimura is originally from Kumamoto Prefecture. After graduating from high school she joined the prestigious Tenmaya women’s athletics team, a squad with a long and proud history in Japanese women’s marathon running. Hofu was only the “starting line” of her marathon career, and before the race she admitted that she felt “half excited, half scared” about tackling the full distance.
Even so, she not only reached her goal of earning an MGC spot but did so with a time that exceeded expectations. For a young runner who has just taken her first step on the marathon stage, this victory is a huge result that connects directly towards the Los Angeles Olympics cycle.
With Tenmaya’s tradition behind her and the confidence of a debut win, Nishimura Mizuki has announced herself as one of the new hopes of Japanese women’s marathon running. The focus will now be on how she develops from here and what kind of races she can produce over the coming years.
