Masayuki Matsumaru, Hidea Miyazuka and Taro Shirato definitely had the names to protect and they were good at doing it.
However, there was Yu Yumoto who came in between the four professionals. He finished second, beating Shirato and Miyazuka in the finals by over 10 minutes.
Among those expected to lead the race, it was Matsumaru who crossed the finish line first completing the 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run of the Type A course in two hours and 10.26 minutes.
He trailed Shirato, Ayato Matsutama and Yu Yumoto in the water completing the swim course in 23.20 minutes, but he picked up speed on the saddle reaching the run course’s starting line in one hour and 1.8 minute.
Matsumaru maintained his lead through out the run course which he completed in 45.58 minutes.
Yumoto completed the entire race in two hours and 13.52 minutes; Shirato two hours and 24.20 minutes and Miyazuka, two hours and 30.30 minutes.
Aside from Matsumaru, Shirato and Miyazuka, there are 75 other triathletes who participated in the Type A course, although four of them ran out of stamina to finish the race.
Oneal Cameron, the only participant from Guam bested 32 other triathletes all from Japan, in Type B course. He took the two-kilometer swim course in 47.49 minutes; the 90-kilometer bike course in two hours and 28.1 minutes and the 21-kilometer run course in one hour and 39.54 minutes.
Cameron was more than a mile ahead of Yuta Kobayashi who reached the finish line in five hours and 10.33 minutes.
Behind them were Tatsuo Shimizu who finished third with 5:38.54 hours and Masaaki Tatsumi who settled for fourth with 5:42.52.
