Inose from Japan & Ryu from South Korea win 3rd annual event
(Tumon, GUAM) – Sunday, April 12, 2015 – The Guam Visitors Bureau, along with the Pacific Islands Club Guam and United Airlines hosted the 2015 Guam International Marathon today, welcomed runners from around the world and exceeded previous participation. The third annual event was the largest international road race to take place on Guam. Over 3,240 runners from Guam, CNMI, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Switzerland, Netherlands, Palau, the United Kingdom and the United States took part in a 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon.
Yusuke Inose from Japan won the men’s division in the marathon with a time of 2:41:22 and Sung Hwa Ryu from South Korea won the female division in 3:08:42. Derek Mandell and Rhea Macaluso were the first local male and female to cross the marathon finish at 2:50:53 and 3:32:29, respectively. Sho Matsumoto from Japan won the male half marathon in 1:11:43 and Manami Iijima from Maite, Guam took the female half marathon. Hiroo Tonegawa from Japan won the male 10K in 33:20 and Yukie Tamura from Japan took the female 10K in 40:32. Yasuhiro Tago from Japan won the male 5K in 16:17 and Jacqui Slack from the United Kingdom won the female 5K in 19:24, both setting 5k course records. Race results are posted on the Marathon website and can also be found at http://results.chronotrack.
576 runners took part in the marathon, 785 in the half marathon, 798 in the 10K and 1085 runners in the 5K. Runners participated in start parties featuring a light tunnel, DJ Oz, Urban Fitness & Studio dancers, PIC Pacific Fantasies Dance Company fire show and inspirational remarks from Acting Governor Ray Tenorio before each race.
Guam International Marathon proceeds benefit the Tourism Education Council, the Island-wide Beautification Task Force and the Guam USO.
“A GVB Signature event, the Guam International Marathon exemplifies our commitment to sports and events tourism and is critical to the success of the Tourism 2020 plan. In the third year of the event, GIM continues to bring in economic benefits and valuable exposure for our island community,” said Nathan Denight, Guam Visitors Bureau General Manager. “As we welcome our international participants, their families and supporters and we thank our local partners, participants and volunteers for bringing GIM’s ‘42k of Håfa Adai’ to life.”
“On behalf of the Guam International Marathon, we congratulate and thank our participants, volunteers, media partners, supporters and sponsors for a successful event. From the expo, to our new light tunnel and start parties, to the energy along the race course, the Fiesta aid station all the way back to the Finisher’s festival, the whole community came together and truly made this event ‘more than a run, aHåfa Adai experience’. We’re thrilled to have another year of record participation and we encourage everyone to join us again for the 4th Annual Guam International Marathon on April 10, 2016,” said GIM Event Director, Ben Ferguson.
