Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon

Post-Race Review/ Results

Eritrea's Yared Asmerom surged late in the race but could not hold onto Qatar's Shami who won by 11 seconds with a time of 2 hours 8 minutes and 23 seconds. Third place went to Japan's Satoshi Osaki with a time of 2:08:36.

Qatar's Shami wins Lake Biwa Marathon ahead of Ertirea's Yared Asmerom

Mubarak Shami of Qatar won the 2008 Lake Biwa Marathon in 2:08:23 edging out Eritrean Yared Asmeron at the 36K mark.  Many Japanese were also excited about the race within a race as Lake Biwa Marathon was the last men's qualifier for Japan's Olympic team.  Satoshi Osaki who finished first Japanese in 2:08:40.  The Japanese team will be announced on March 10th.

Shami wins Lake Biwa Marathon

The 2008 Lake Biwa Marathon saw Kenyan born Qatari Mubarak Hassan Shami, the silver medalist at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, win in a 2:08:23.    Yared Asmeron was runner up in 2:08:34 and Satoshi Osaki was third in 2:08:36.  Osaki, a Japanese Olympic Team hopeful, set a personal best and may have secured himself a spot on the team.  Lake Biwa Marathon was the final qualifying race for the Japanese Olympic Team.

Osaki makes the grade / All but earns ticket to Beijing with 3rd place at Biwa behind Shami, Asmeron

Pre-Race Review/ Lineup

The 2008 Lake Biwa marathon, the oldest continuous marathon in Japan, will see many 2:07 marathoners in its roster of elites.   Dmytro Baranovsky, with 2:07:15 at the 2006 Fukuoka Marathon, Mubarak Hassan Shami with a 2:07:19 at the 2007 Paris Marathon, and Jose Rios with 2:07:42 at the 2004 Lake Biwa Marathon.  Lake Biwa will be the final race for the Japanese men to qualify for the Olympic marathon team spot.  Japanese elites Atsushi Sato, Arata Fujiwara Tsuyoshi Ogata, and Satoshi Osaki will battle it out for the honor to run for Japan.

Marathon Summary

Marathon Results