Mao Ichiyama won the women's section of the Sapporo Challenge Half Marathon with a personal-best time on Wednesday, beating out fellow Japan Olympic team members Honami Maeda and Ayuko Suzuki.

A test event for this summer's Tokyo Games, the race took place in cool and windy conditions on a shortened version of the Olympic course. Organizers scaled down the event due to the coronavirus pandemic, asking people not to spectate from the roadside and canceling a 10-kilometer race open to the public.

Ichiyama said she had been determined to get results and her win in 1 hour, 8 minutes and 28 seconds came as a relief.