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By Patrick Lujan
Despite wet and slippery conditions, Japan’s Masashi Shirotake took home his third straight Guam Ko’Ko’ Race and broke the course record in the process, finishing the half marathon in one hour, 11 minutes and 25 seconds.

Guam’s Christopher Magtoto and Japan’s Masashi Shirotake take the halfway turn of the 13.1-mile run. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)
The 33-year-old from Takamatsu, Japan finished the 13.1-mile course from Ypao to Asan and back with a constant and quick pace from start to finish that no one could keep up with.
“It was dangerous,” Shirotake said about the wet course, especially coming down the hill toward the finish line. “If I speed up, I may slip.” That suggests that dryer conditions couldn’t given him a faster time.
Guam’s Christopher Magtoto was shoulder-to-shoulder with Shirotake throughout the first half of the race heading down to the turning point in Asan.
“We kept switching the pace,” the 21-year-old Magtoto said. “Then he pulled away going back.”
Pulled away he did as Shirotake shifted to another gear and slowly widened the gap.
“His breathing was heavy,” Shirotake said about Magtoto. “That’s when I picked up the pace.”
“When he pulled away, it was hard to keep up,” Magtoto said. “It was little by little.”
After the turn, the more experienced Japanese quickly jumped ahead by about 10 meters. By the eight-mile mark, the lead increased to 23 seconds, then a 1:14 lead at the 10-mile mark.
Magtoto, running in only his second half marathon, finished in a respectable 1:14:29.
Shirotake, who has run in more than 20 marathons and about five half marathons, won the $1000 winners prize and another $500 for breaking the course record.
Guam Olympian Amy Atkinson was the first female finisher at 1:28:05.
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GPS Sports Calendar
December 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for November
1st
ISA BOYS SOCCER
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
2nd
IRON LEGENDS THROWDOWN
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
4th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER
ISA BOYS SOCCER
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
5th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for December
5th
Events for December
7th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Events for December
9th
40th GRC PLUMERIA ROAD RACE
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Events for December
10th
TOUR OF GUAM 2023
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
Events for December
11th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for December
12th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
12th
Events for December
14th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER FINALS
Events for December
15th
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for December
16th
3rd GUAM NINJA CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
16th
Events for December
18th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER ALL-ISLAND MEETING
Events for December
19th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
19th
Events for December
23rd
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
ISA HS BASEBALL FINALS
Events for December
23rd
Events for December
24th
Events for December
25th
Events for December
27th
Events for December
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for December
30th

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME

Basketball
3×3 HOOPS REPEAT AS GOLDEN BOYS

Basketball
RAPADAS LEADS WILD COUGAR COMEBACK

Baseball
GUAM HOSTS KIWIS IN U15 BASEBALL

Basketball
SHARKS FEND OFF DOLPHINS IN GIRLS HOOPS

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME
COMING SOON …
- IIAAG Girls Basketball Playoffs