Gamera-Shmyrko Wins Osaka Marathon

The top-three runners set PRs.

Tetyana Gamera-Shmyrko pulled off a surprise victory at the Osaka Women’s Marathon last Sunday. The Ukranian defeated Kayoko Fukushi of Japan in the final 900 meters to win the race.

Gamera-Shmrko set a new PR by 34 seconds, posting a winning time of 2:23:58. However, it was short of the Ukranian national record, which is held by Olena Shurhno (2:23:32), clocked at the Berlin Marathon.

Gamera-Shmyrko was the first runner from her country to win in Osaka. “I almost gave up. I usually speed up after 30K but I had little left at that point. However, I found a reserve with 2K to go,” she said.

Her rival, Fukushi, ended up taking second in 2:24:21.

“I told the winner [Gamera-Shmyrko] I am very disappointed,” Fukushi said. “Unlike other marathons, I think I have given it all.  I still need to learn to change the pace at the end.”

Yuko Watanabe came in third in 2:25:56.

All told, it was a fast race in that the top three runners got new personal records.

For More: IAAF