RECORD TURNOUT FOR 2026 KO’KO’ ROAD RACE

PRESS RELEASE – The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) is pleased to announce the successful completion of the 2026 Ko’ko’ Road Race events held on Sunday, April 12, 2026 at the Governor Joseph Flores Memorial (Ypao) Beach Park.  

The Ko’ko’ Road Race began with a half marathon boasting 660 runners, a record turnout in the history of the event by GVB and the Guam Running Club.  The 1st place female finisher of the 2025 Ko’ko’ Half Marathon was newcomer Tomomi Nakajima from Japan, with a time of 1:23:00.  Following close behind were 2nd place finisher Manami Iijima from Guam, and 3rd place finisher Natsuki Tomii from Japan.

In the male division, Hiroki Nakajima of Japan came in 1st place with a time of 1:17:02, just  over a minute ahead of runners Shohei Miyamoto of Japan and Derek Mandell from Guam, who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.   

Top finishers Tomomi Nakajima and Hiroki Nakajima are a married couple visiting Guam with their baby Aoi, who rode across the finish line in a stroller pushed by father Hiroki for the entire 13.1 mile course, making it a family victory.

The return of the 4-person 5K Ekiden relay race, which featured multiple divisions rendered 578 participants.  The top overall Ekiden team was the Osaka University School of Economics team, which also won the all-male division.  The team members are: Soichi Sagara, Daiki Uno, Tomoki Umeda, and Go Nagayama.  Finishing second was the team from Setsunan University. Team members are: Kosei Yamagata, Ryoki Nakazawa, Tsuyoshi Kokage, and Shogo Kurogi.  Finishing up the podium is the team from Doshisha University.  Team members are: Shunichiro Tanaka, Yuhi Nambu, Ryosuke Morishita, and Kazuma Yamamoto.  Finishing first in the GovGuam division was the Chief’s Own team, comprised of GFD 25th Fire Cycle’s Eugene Arriola, Joaquin Mesa, Richard Salas, and Thor Babauta.

The 2026 GVB Ko’ko Road Race saw broad international participation, with a total of 1,250 participants across all events. Guam dominated overall participation, contributing 492 participants (39.36%) and accounting for the largest shares in both the Ekiden (42.56%) and Half Marathon (35.45%).

Among international competitors, Korea (22.32%) and Japan (20.08%) were the next strongest contributors, with Korea showing particularly high participation in the Ekiden event and Japan leading among international entrants in the Half Marathon (26.97%). The United States also had a notable presence with 159 participants (12.72%), driven largely by Half Marathon entries.

Other nations—including the Philippines, Taipei, Canada, China, South Africa, Great Britain, FSM, Saipan, and American Samoa—participated at smaller levels, collectively highlighting the event’s diverse global reach despite being heavily led by regional participation.    

International celebrities, health & fitness enthusiasts, journalists, running groups and social media influencers from Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines participated in the weekend’s sold out races.  World class athletes and influencers such as Japan’s Olympic Gold Medalist Naoko Takahashi, actress and 2024 and 2025 Ko’ko’ Half Marathon champion Sachi Uozumi, 2025 Ko’ko’ Champion Ryuhei Nogi, well-known actor and musician Shinji Takeda, as well as several other influencers and four universities were included in Japan’s competing force in the Ko’ko’ Road Race.  From Korea, model, actress, and sports ambassador Kang So Yeon and her family joined actor Lee Jae Yoon, KOL Running Clubs, and several other sports and kids influencers and media in the delegation from South Korea.  Running creators and coaches Wu Chien Su and Jie-Hua Liu participated from Taiwan, while actor Troy Montero joined Aubrey Miles as participating sports influencers from the Philippines.

The participation of international celebrities and social media influencers amplified media coverage and brand exposure across Guam’s key source markets.  This participation also delivered a significant economic boost to Guam with a conservative estimate of $1.65M in direct visitor spending, supporting local businesses across various sectors, including accommodations, dining, transportation, retail, and local experiences. 

“It’s an honor to welcome athletes from across the region and beyond, many of whom traveled to Guam to be part of this special event,” GVB President & CEO Régine Biscoe Lee remarked. “At its core, Ko’ko’ Weekend is more than competition. It’s about raising awareness for our beloved ko’ko’ bird while showcasing Guam as a vibrant destination for wellness and sports tourism. This weekend reflects the power of sport to bring people together, share our Håfa Adai spirit, support our economy, and create lasting connections.”

GVB extends thanks to all Ko’ko’ competitors, and our Ko’ko’ event sponsors: Coca-cola/ Foremost/Powerade/Body Armor, Tumon Sands Plaza, Run Guam, Vince Jewelers, Pomika Sales, and Micronesia Mall as well as the Office of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Guam, Mayors of Tamuning/Tumon/Harmon, Hagåtña, and Asan/Maina, Department of  Agriculture Division of Aquatics and Wildlife, John F. Kennedy High School, Department of CHamoru Affairs, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Public Works, Guam Police Department, Guam Fire Department, Guam International Airport Authority, the Japan Club of Guam, Consulate-General of Japan in Hagåtña, Philippine Consulate General, and the Guam Running Club.

The next Ko’ko’ Weekend is slated for April 10 & 11, 2027.

RESULTS

Half Marathon 

Top Female Overall:

Nakajima, Tomomi   Japan 1:23:00

Iijima, Manami Guam 1:26:05

Tomii, Natsuki Japan 1:30:23

Top Male Overall:

Nakajima, Hiroki Japan 1:17:02

Miyamoto, Shohei Japan 1:18:42

Mandell, Derek Guam 1:20:28

Ekiden Relay

Top Overall:

Team Number 1333 Osaka University of Economics

Team Number 1320 Setsunan University

Team Number 1328 Doshisha University

Further detailed Ekiden results are forthcoming and may be found at 
https://my.raceresult.com/356260/results