Nov. 26 - Athens Olympic gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi set a meet record in winning the women's half-marathon at the Shanghai International Marathon on Sunday.

 

Noguchi, who has been hit by a recent spate of injuries and missed the Berlin Marathon in September, clocked 1 hour, 9 minutes, 3 seconds while Harumi Hiroyama finished second in the women's full marathon.

 

"It's not my best performance but I feel I am in good condition right now," said Noguchi. "I am moving much better and this run has put me in good stead for full marathons."

 

Noguchi sat out the Berlin Marathon because of problems in her left ankle and the lower part of her left leg, an apparent effect of a hip injury sustained in mid-August when she fell during her stay in Switzerland for altitude training.

 

In the women's full marathon, Hiroyama timed 2:32:33 while Kazutaka Enoki was Japan's best performer in the men's race, finishing fifth in 2:15:40.