http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20130522-OHT1T00091.htm
translated by Brett Larner
2004 Athens Olympics women's marathon gold medalist and national record holder Mizuki Noguchi (34, Team Sysmex) left from Tokyo's Narita Airport on May 22 for altitude training in Boulder, Colorado. Interviewed prior to her departure, she said that she is aiming to make the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Following her withdrawal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics Noguchi struggled with injuries for years, but after a 3rd-place finish at March's Nagoya Women's Marathon she made her first national team in ten years, qualifying for the Moscow World Championships marathon squad and signaling that she is well on her way to a complete return to form. "Last year I didn't have it in me [to make the Olympics], but since Nagoya I've felt the way I used to," she said. "My injury problems have finally gone away."
Noguchi will be training in Boulder together with the other Moscow World Championships women's team members until late June. Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal) is already there, with Ryoko Kizaki (Team Daihatsu) scheduled to join them in early June. "I'm really excited, and it should give us all extra motivation," Noguchi said of the group training. "We will have the chance to build up a sense of teamwork that we can bring into play in the big race."
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Omwamba Dominates First Weekend of Kanto Regionals With 1500 m and 10000 m Double
by Brett Larner
For the second-straight year, Kenyan Enock Omwamba (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) pulled off the 1500 m - 10000 m double on the first weekend of the Kanto Regional University Track and Field Championships, May 18-19 in Tokyo's National Stadium. Despite high winds in Saturday's Division I 1500 m final, Omwamba went out hard with a 55-second opening lap, holding on alone to take a full 4 seconds off the meet record with a new best of 3:39.16. Runner-up Hiroki Matsueda (Juntendo Univ.) was more than 10 seconds behind, narrowly beating Kazuki Miyake (Chuo Univ.) for 2nd with both cracking 3:50. Division II winner Masaki Toda (Tokyo Nogyo Univ.) also got under 3:50 with the fastest Japanese time of the day, 3:49.52.
A day later, Omwamba won again against a tough field in the Division I 10000 m. Facing Nihon University's new Kenyan ace Daniel Kitonyi, 2013 Hakone Ekiden Fifth Stage winner Shota Hattori (Nittai Univ.), Meiji University star Shuho Dairokuno and, fresh from both running sub-28 eight days ago at the Golden Games in Nobeoka meet, Toyo University twins Keita and Yuta Shitara. Omwamba took the race out at 28-flat pace with immediate pressure from Hattori. Kitonyi and Keita Shitara were close behind, but Yuta started in last place and took his time working his way up through the field.
Omwamba alternated the lead with Kitonyi, Hattori stepping up to keep things on pace any time it slowed, and just past a 14:15 split for halfway the lead pack was down to the main six athletes. Yuta Shitara began to have trouble staying with the others, and near 7000 m Keita dropped back to chat with him and give him some encouragement, but at 8000 m a it was Keita who was had trouble answering a move from Hattori that also knocked Dairokuno out of the pack. Yuta was next, and a surge by the Africans at 9000 m cut off Hattori's chances. Omwamba was too much for Kitonyi to handle over the last two laps, taking the win in a PB 28:15.80 with Kitonyi next in 28:21.30, also a PB. Yuta Shitara put on a sensational kick to overtake Hattori for 3rd in 28:31.14, with Keita likewise outkicking Dairokuno who nevertheless pulled out a new best of 28:41.10.
The Division II 10000 m was a 1-2 for 2012 National University Ekiden champions Komazawa University. Eight days after both running in the same Golden Games in Nobeoka 10000 m as the Shitara twins, 2013 National University Half Marathon champion Shogo Nakamura and senior teammate Shinobu Kubota tag-teamed the lead to grind down Africans Duncan Muthee (Kenya/Takushoku Univ.) and Leul Gebreselassie (Ethiopia/Tokyo Kokusai Univ.). Nakamura, who ran 28:05.79 in Nobeoka to beat Kubota's best by just over a second, got the win in 28:39.52, Kubota next in 28:48.77. The most impressive performance of the race had to go to another identical twin, Takashi Ichida (Daito Bunka Univ.), who came up to join the leaders after 7000 m and nearly succeeded in beating Kubota for 2nd, running 28:49.50 for 3rd. Muthee, a sub-28 man, was 4th, with Gebreselassie dropping out shortly after a short stint in the lead.
Defending national collegiate champion Haruka Kyuma (Tsukuba Univ.) was a DNS in the women's 10000 m, leaving the race wide open for sub-33 rival Nanaka Izawa (Juntendo Univ.). Unfortunately for Izawa she was less than 100% on the day and never factored into the race which suffered in quality as a result. A slow early pace stayed that way, with Izawa's teammates Hiromi Hikida and Maki Ashi finally stepping up late in the race to push ahead for the win. Tamagawa University's Hitomi Suzuki unexpectedly answered, and on the bell lap it was Suzuki who had the fastest close, getting the win in 34:01.34, more than five seconds better than Hikida.
92nd Kanto Regional University Track and Field Championships
National Stadium, Tokyo, 5/18-19/13
click here for complete results
Div. I Men's 1500 m - 5/18
1. Enock Omwamba (Kenya/Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 3:39.16 - MR/PB
2. Hiroki Matsueda (Juntendo Univ.) - 3:49.63
3. Kazuki Miyake (Chuo Univ.) - 3:49.67
4. Daiki Hirose (Meiji Univ.) - 3:50.07
5. Shinya Saito (Toyo Univ.) - 3:50.67
Div. II Men's 1500 m - 5/18
1. Masaki Toda (Tokyo Nogyo Univ.) - 3:49.52
2. Ikuto Yufu (Komazawa Univ.) - 3:50.01
3. Taketo Kumazaki (Teikyo Univ.) - 3:53.69
Div. I Men's 10000 m - 5/19
1. Enock Omwamba (Kenya/Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:15.80 - PB
2. Daniel Kitonyi (Kenya/Nihon Univ.) - 28:21.30 - PB
3. Yuta Shitara (Toyo Univ.) - 28:31.14
4. Shota Hattori (Nittai Univ.) - 28:36.03
5. Keita Shitara (Toyo Univ.) - 28:40.44
6. Shuho Dairokuno (Meiji Univ.) - 28:41.10 - PB
7. Kazuto Nishiike (Hosei Univ.) - 28:59.35
8. Keigo Yano (Nittai Univ.) - 29:00.02
9. Hiroto Inoue (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 29:01.94
10. Yuma Hattori (Toyo Univ.) - 29:03.45
Div. II Men's 10000 m - 5/19
1. Shogo Nakamura (Komazawa Univ.) - 28:39.52
2. Shinobu Kubota (Komazawa Univ.) - 28:48.77
3. Takashi Ichida (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 28:49.50
4. Duncan Muthee (Kenya/Takushoku Univ.) - 29:09.73
5. Hiroki Yamagishi (Jobu Univ.) - 29:13.61
DNF - Leul Gebreselassie (Ethiopia/Tokyo Kokusai Univ.)
Women's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Hitomi Suzuki (Tamagawa Univ.) - 34:01.34
2. Hiromi Hikida (Nittai Univ.) - 34:07.36
3. Maki Ashi (Nittai Univ.) - 34:11.41
4. Yuko Kikuchi (Hakuoh Univ.) - 34:14.96
5. Mari Tayama (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 34:15.18
6. Nami Hashimoto (Josai Univ.) - 34:15.40
7. Rika Saito (Chuo Univ.) - 34:19.08
8. Azusa Kurusu (Juntendo Univ.) - 34:20.09
9. Nanaka Izawa (Juntendo Univ.) - 34:24.88
10. Chitose Shibata (Tokyo Gakugei Univ.) - 34:27.53
text and photos (c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
For the second-straight year, Kenyan Enock Omwamba (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) pulled off the 1500 m - 10000 m double on the first weekend of the Kanto Regional University Track and Field Championships, May 18-19 in Tokyo's National Stadium. Despite high winds in Saturday's Division I 1500 m final, Omwamba went out hard with a 55-second opening lap, holding on alone to take a full 4 seconds off the meet record with a new best of 3:39.16. Runner-up Hiroki Matsueda (Juntendo Univ.) was more than 10 seconds behind, narrowly beating Kazuki Miyake (Chuo Univ.) for 2nd with both cracking 3:50. Division II winner Masaki Toda (Tokyo Nogyo Univ.) also got under 3:50 with the fastest Japanese time of the day, 3:49.52.A day later, Omwamba won again against a tough field in the Division I 10000 m. Facing Nihon University's new Kenyan ace Daniel Kitonyi, 2013 Hakone Ekiden Fifth Stage winner Shota Hattori (Nittai Univ.), Meiji University star Shuho Dairokuno and, fresh from both running sub-28 eight days ago at the Golden Games in Nobeoka meet, Toyo University twins Keita and Yuta Shitara. Omwamba took the race out at 28-flat pace with immediate pressure from Hattori. Kitonyi and Keita Shitara were close behind, but Yuta started in last place and took his time working his way up through the field.
Omwamba alternated the lead with Kitonyi, Hattori stepping up to keep things on pace any time it slowed, and just past a 14:15 split for halfway the lead pack was down to the main six athletes. Yuta Shitara began to have trouble staying with the others, and near 7000 m Keita dropped back to chat with him and give him some encouragement, but at 8000 m a it was Keita who was had trouble answering a move from Hattori that also knocked Dairokuno out of the pack. Yuta was next, and a surge by the Africans at 9000 m cut off Hattori's chances. Omwamba was too much for Kitonyi to handle over the last two laps, taking the win in a PB 28:15.80 with Kitonyi next in 28:21.30, also a PB. Yuta Shitara put on a sensational kick to overtake Hattori for 3rd in 28:31.14, with Keita likewise outkicking Dairokuno who nevertheless pulled out a new best of 28:41.10.
The Division II 10000 m was a 1-2 for 2012 National University Ekiden champions Komazawa University. Eight days after both running in the same Golden Games in Nobeoka 10000 m as the Shitara twins, 2013 National University Half Marathon champion Shogo Nakamura and senior teammate Shinobu Kubota tag-teamed the lead to grind down Africans Duncan Muthee (Kenya/Takushoku Univ.) and Leul Gebreselassie (Ethiopia/Tokyo Kokusai Univ.). Nakamura, who ran 28:05.79 in Nobeoka to beat Kubota's best by just over a second, got the win in 28:39.52, Kubota next in 28:48.77. The most impressive performance of the race had to go to another identical twin, Takashi Ichida (Daito Bunka Univ.), who came up to join the leaders after 7000 m and nearly succeeded in beating Kubota for 2nd, running 28:49.50 for 3rd. Muthee, a sub-28 man, was 4th, with Gebreselassie dropping out shortly after a short stint in the lead.
Defending national collegiate champion Haruka Kyuma (Tsukuba Univ.) was a DNS in the women's 10000 m, leaving the race wide open for sub-33 rival Nanaka Izawa (Juntendo Univ.). Unfortunately for Izawa she was less than 100% on the day and never factored into the race which suffered in quality as a result. A slow early pace stayed that way, with Izawa's teammates Hiromi Hikida and Maki Ashi finally stepping up late in the race to push ahead for the win. Tamagawa University's Hitomi Suzuki unexpectedly answered, and on the bell lap it was Suzuki who had the fastest close, getting the win in 34:01.34, more than five seconds better than Hikida.92nd Kanto Regional University Track and Field Championships
National Stadium, Tokyo, 5/18-19/13
click here for complete results
Div. I Men's 1500 m - 5/18
1. Enock Omwamba (Kenya/Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 3:39.16 - MR/PB
2. Hiroki Matsueda (Juntendo Univ.) - 3:49.63
3. Kazuki Miyake (Chuo Univ.) - 3:49.67
4. Daiki Hirose (Meiji Univ.) - 3:50.07
5. Shinya Saito (Toyo Univ.) - 3:50.67
Div. II Men's 1500 m - 5/18
1. Masaki Toda (Tokyo Nogyo Univ.) - 3:49.52
2. Ikuto Yufu (Komazawa Univ.) - 3:50.01
3. Taketo Kumazaki (Teikyo Univ.) - 3:53.69
Div. I Men's 10000 m - 5/19
1. Enock Omwamba (Kenya/Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:15.80 - PB
2. Daniel Kitonyi (Kenya/Nihon Univ.) - 28:21.30 - PB
3. Yuta Shitara (Toyo Univ.) - 28:31.14
4. Shota Hattori (Nittai Univ.) - 28:36.03
5. Keita Shitara (Toyo Univ.) - 28:40.44
6. Shuho Dairokuno (Meiji Univ.) - 28:41.10 - PB
7. Kazuto Nishiike (Hosei Univ.) - 28:59.35
8. Keigo Yano (Nittai Univ.) - 29:00.02
9. Hiroto Inoue (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 29:01.94
10. Yuma Hattori (Toyo Univ.) - 29:03.45
Div. II Men's 10000 m - 5/19
1. Shogo Nakamura (Komazawa Univ.) - 28:39.52
2. Shinobu Kubota (Komazawa Univ.) - 28:48.77
3. Takashi Ichida (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 28:49.50
4. Duncan Muthee (Kenya/Takushoku Univ.) - 29:09.73
5. Hiroki Yamagishi (Jobu Univ.) - 29:13.61
DNF - Leul Gebreselassie (Ethiopia/Tokyo Kokusai Univ.)
Women's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Hitomi Suzuki (Tamagawa Univ.) - 34:01.34
2. Hiromi Hikida (Nittai Univ.) - 34:07.36
3. Maki Ashi (Nittai Univ.) - 34:11.41
4. Yuko Kikuchi (Hakuoh Univ.) - 34:14.96
5. Mari Tayama (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 34:15.18
6. Nami Hashimoto (Josai Univ.) - 34:15.40
7. Rika Saito (Chuo Univ.) - 34:19.08
8. Azusa Kurusu (Juntendo Univ.) - 34:20.09
9. Nanaka Izawa (Juntendo Univ.) - 34:24.88
10. Chitose Shibata (Tokyo Gakugei Univ.) - 34:27.53
text and photos (c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Tanui Sets 10000 m World Leader at Kyushu Corporate Championships
by Brett Larner
2011 World Cross Country silver medalist Paul Tanui (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) delivered the biggest run of a weekend of regional corporate track and field championships, setting a meet record at the Kyushu region championships 10000 m in a world-leading 27:21.50. His teammate Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) likewise brought her best with a meet record 15:17.47 in the women's 5000 m. Moscow World Championships marathon team members Kazuhiro Maeda (Team Kyudenko) and Kentaro Nakamoto (Team Yasukawa Denki) both ran well behind Tanui to go sub-29, Nakamoto for only the second time in his career.
Less than an hour after Tanui's world leading run, London Olympics 10000 m 5th-place Bedan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA RC) flashed the flamboyant colors of the new DeNA uniform to win the East Japan region 10000 m in 27:30.65, the fastest time in the world this year behind Tanui. Ethiopian Asmeraw Mengistu (Team Honda), hired as the Honda team's B-African behind 2011 world champion Ibrahim Jeilan (Ethiopia) and finding himself bumped to A-status with Jeilan's departure, just got under 28 for 2nd. 2013 World Cross Country junior silver medalist Leonard Barsoton (Kenya/Team Nissin Shokuhin) won the 5000 m over a field that included his 2010 World XC silver medalist predecessor Clement Langat (Kenya/Team Subaru). Doricah Obare (Kenya/Team Hitachi) won the women's 10000 m in a solid 32:17.35, leading ekiden ace Yurie Doi (Team Starts) to make a dent in the Japanese top ten lists for the year with a 32:26.89 clocking for 2nd, the only Japanese athlete of the weekend to do so.
Running reliably strong lately, Patrick Muwaka (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) rounded out the list of men going sub-28 in the corporate regional meets, running 27:56.28 to win the Chubu region 10000 m. Alex Mwangi (Kenya/Team YKK) came close at the Hokuriku region meet, soloing a 28:11.32 for the win. Former Sera H.S. ringer Charles Ndirangu (Kenya/Team JFE Steel) ran only 28:27.67 to win the Chugoku region 10000 m but doubled with a 13:36.57 meet record in the 5000 m. His teammate, 2012 Fukuoka International Marathon winner Joseph Gitau, was 3rd in 28:48.85 behind Team Mazda leader Akihiko Tsumurai. The year's leading Japanese woman over 10000 m, Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo), was unchallenged in the women's 10000 m, winning by well over a minute in 32:35.54. In Kansai, the only region not to allow non-Japanese athletes, winning times were slow, Yohei Nishiyama (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) winning the men's 10000 m in 29:10.75 and 2011 Tokyo Marathon winner Noriko Higuchi (Team Wacoal) the women's race in 33:07.29.
All three Moscow World Championships marathon women sat the weekend out. Alongside Maeda and Nakamoto's good performances, men's marathon team member Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) ran badly at the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, 14th in 1:05:05. Masakazu Fujiwara (Team Honda) is scheduled to race next weekend's Great Manchester Run 10 km, but missing in action was 2:08:12 man Hiroyuki Horibata (Team Asahi Kasei), seen neither this weekend at the Kyushu region championships nor on home ground at last weekend's Golden Games in Nobeoka.
Kyushu Corporate Track and Field Championships
Fukuoka, 5/18-19/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m Heat 3 - 5/18
1. Paul Tanui (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) - 27:21.50 - WL, MR
2. Melaku Abera (Ethiopia/Team Kurosaki Harima) - 28:18.57
3. Jeremiah Karemi (Kenya/Team Toyota Kyushu) - 28:26.68
4. Kenichi Shiraishi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 28:42.17
5. Masato Imai (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 28:45.24
6. Kazuhiro Maeda (Team Kyudenko) - 28:45.37
7. Fumihiro Maruyama (Team Asahi Kasei) - 28:46.34
8. Ryuji Watanabe (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 28:47.37
9. Kohei Matsumura (Team Mitsubishi Juko Nagasaki) - 28:52.97
10. Kentaro Nakamoto (Team Yasukawa Denki) - 28:59.14
Men's 5000 m - 5/19
1. Tomoya Onishi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 14:04.76
2. Kei Goto (Team Nishitetsu) - 14:30.07
3. Yuki Mori (Team Memoread) - 14:35.93
Men's 1500 m - 5/18
1. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Team Asahi Kasei) - 3:48.46
2. Koki Maeda (Team Kyudenko) - 3:49.57
3. Kenta Maeda (Team Kyudenko) - 4:01.25
Women's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Misaki Kato (Team Kyudenko) - 33:10.83
2. Chieko Kido (Canon AC Kyushu) - 33:11.05
3. Keiko Nogami (Team Juhachi Ginko) - 33:11.17
Women's 5000 m - 5/19
1. Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) - 15:17.47 - MR
2. Eri Hayakawa (Team Toto) - 16:02.04
3. Megumi Amako (Canon AC Kyushu) - 16:02.55
East Japan Corporate Track and Field Championships
Ibaraki, 5/18-19/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m Heat 2 - 5/18
1. Bedan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA RC) - 27:30.65
2. Azmeraw Mengistu (Ethiopia/Team Honda) - 27:59.96
3. Johnson Kiumbani (Kenya/Team Konica Minolta) - 28:01.87
4. Paul Kuira (Kenya/Team Konica Minolta) - 28:21.42
5. Benjamin Ngandu (Kenya/Team Monteroza) - 28:30.25
Men's 5000 m Heat 4 - 5/19
1. Leonard Barsoton (Kenya/Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 13:34.65
2. Zewdie Million (Ethiopia/Team Yachiyo Kogyo) - 13:41.19
3. Clement Langat (Kenya/Team Subaru) - 13:42.32
4. Tsuyoshi Ugachi (Team Konica Minolta) - 13:49.21
5. Masato Kikuchi (Team Konica Minolta) - 13:57.31
Men's 1500 m Final - 5/18
1. Bikila Demma Daba (Ethiopia/Team Kanebo) - 3:42.54
2. Yasunori Murakami (Team Fujitsu) - 3:45.57
3. Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 3:46.73
4. Keisuke Tanaka (Team Fujitsu) - 3:48.33
5. Yuichiro Ueno (DeNA RC) - 3:50.48
Women's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Doricah Obare (Kenya/Team Hitachi) - 32:17.35
2. Yurie Doi (Team Starts) - 32:26.89
3. Grace Kimanzi (Kenya/Team Starts) - 32:41.69
4. Shiho Takechi (Team Yamada Denki) - 32:52.57
5. Yuka Tokuda (Team Starts) - 32:54.03
Women's 5000 m - 5/19
1. Felista Wanjugu (Kenya/Team Univ. Ent.) - 15:52.18
2. Yuki Hidaka (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 15:55.64
3. Moeno Nakamura (Team Univ. Ent.) - 15:57.59
4. Risa Takenaka (Team Shiseido) - 15:57.84
5. Rina Yamazaki (Team Panasonic) - 16:00.53
Women's 3000 m - 5/19
1. Tomomi Tanaka (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 9:29.46
2. Tomoyo Yamamoto (Team Sekisui Kagaku) - 9:29.75
3. Sakiko Naito (Team Panasonic) - 9:29.75
Women's 1500 m - 5/18
1. Chihiro Sunaga (Team Shiseido) - 4:23.27
2. Madoka Mitsueda (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 4:23.79
3. Mika Nakagawa (Team Hokuren) - 4:27.02
Chubu Corporate Track and Field Championships
Gifu, 5/11-12/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m - 5/11
1. Patrick Muwaka (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) - 27:56.28
2. Agato Yashin Hassan (Ethiopia/Team Chuo Hatsujo) - 28:39.77
3. Minato Oishi (Team Toyota) - 28:40.49
4. Takahiro Aso (Team Aisan Kogyo) - 28:42.55
5. Micah Njeru (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 28:43.87
Men's 5000 m - 5/12
1. Patrick Mutunga (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 13:39.01
2. Jacob Wanjuki (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) - 13:43.44
3. Edward Waweru (Kenya/Team NTN) - 13:46.87
4. Chihiro Miyawaki (Team Toyota) - 13:51.97
5. Chiharu Nakamura (Team Toenec) - 14:01.98
Men's 1500 m - 5/11
1. Patrick Mutunga (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 3:47.67
2. Hideyuki Tanaka (Team Toyota) - 3:48.23
3. Chiharu Nakamura (Team Toenec) - 3:50.45
Women's 10000 m - 5/11
1. Yuka Takashima (Team Denso) - 33:09.70
2. Michi Numata (Team Toyota Jidoshokki) - 33:37.94
3. Chika Nakama (Team Aichi Denki) - 34:19.36
Women's 5000 m - 5/12
1. Susan Wairimu (Kenya/Team Denso) - 16:15.32
2. Yuko Mizuguchi (Team Denso) - 16:19.52
3. Sayuri Sento (Team Toyota Jidoshokki) - 16:20.02
Hokuriku Corporate Track and Field Championships
Niigata, 5/11-12/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m - 5/12
1. Alex Mwangi (Kenya/Team YKK) - 28:11.32
Men's 5000 m - 5/12
1. Naohiro Yamada (Team YKK) - 14:34.97
Women's 10000 m - 5/12
1. Maiko Kushima (Niigata Albirex RC) - 36:06.95
Women's 5000 m - 5/12
1. Azusa Saito (Niigata Albirex RC) - 17:06.89
Chugoku Corporate Track and Field Championships
Hiroshima, 5/11, 18-19/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Charles Ndirangu (Kenya/Team JFE Steel) - 28:27.67
2. Akihiko Tsumurai (Team Mazda) - 28:43.62
3. Joseph Gitau (Kenya/Team JFE Steel) - 28:48.85
Men's 5000 m Heat 4 - 5/11
1. Charles Ndirangu (Kenya/Team JFE Steel) - 13:36.57 - MR
2. Akihiko Tsumurai (Team Mazda) - 13:54.56
3. Kenji Yamamoto (Team Mazda) - 13:57.83
Women's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo) - 32:35.54
2. Akari Ota (Team Tenmaya) - 33:50.20
3. Nanami Matsuura (Team Tenmaya) - 33:57.35
Women' 5000 m - 5/11
1. Akari Ota (Team Tenmaya) - 15:58.59
2. Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo) - 15:58.95
3. Asahi Takeuchi (Team Uniqlo) - 16:00.66
(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
2011 World Cross Country silver medalist Paul Tanui (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) delivered the biggest run of a weekend of regional corporate track and field championships, setting a meet record at the Kyushu region championships 10000 m in a world-leading 27:21.50. His teammate Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) likewise brought her best with a meet record 15:17.47 in the women's 5000 m. Moscow World Championships marathon team members Kazuhiro Maeda (Team Kyudenko) and Kentaro Nakamoto (Team Yasukawa Denki) both ran well behind Tanui to go sub-29, Nakamoto for only the second time in his career.
Less than an hour after Tanui's world leading run, London Olympics 10000 m 5th-place Bedan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA RC) flashed the flamboyant colors of the new DeNA uniform to win the East Japan region 10000 m in 27:30.65, the fastest time in the world this year behind Tanui. Ethiopian Asmeraw Mengistu (Team Honda), hired as the Honda team's B-African behind 2011 world champion Ibrahim Jeilan (Ethiopia) and finding himself bumped to A-status with Jeilan's departure, just got under 28 for 2nd. 2013 World Cross Country junior silver medalist Leonard Barsoton (Kenya/Team Nissin Shokuhin) won the 5000 m over a field that included his 2010 World XC silver medalist predecessor Clement Langat (Kenya/Team Subaru). Doricah Obare (Kenya/Team Hitachi) won the women's 10000 m in a solid 32:17.35, leading ekiden ace Yurie Doi (Team Starts) to make a dent in the Japanese top ten lists for the year with a 32:26.89 clocking for 2nd, the only Japanese athlete of the weekend to do so.
Running reliably strong lately, Patrick Muwaka (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) rounded out the list of men going sub-28 in the corporate regional meets, running 27:56.28 to win the Chubu region 10000 m. Alex Mwangi (Kenya/Team YKK) came close at the Hokuriku region meet, soloing a 28:11.32 for the win. Former Sera H.S. ringer Charles Ndirangu (Kenya/Team JFE Steel) ran only 28:27.67 to win the Chugoku region 10000 m but doubled with a 13:36.57 meet record in the 5000 m. His teammate, 2012 Fukuoka International Marathon winner Joseph Gitau, was 3rd in 28:48.85 behind Team Mazda leader Akihiko Tsumurai. The year's leading Japanese woman over 10000 m, Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo), was unchallenged in the women's 10000 m, winning by well over a minute in 32:35.54. In Kansai, the only region not to allow non-Japanese athletes, winning times were slow, Yohei Nishiyama (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) winning the men's 10000 m in 29:10.75 and 2011 Tokyo Marathon winner Noriko Higuchi (Team Wacoal) the women's race in 33:07.29.
All three Moscow World Championships marathon women sat the weekend out. Alongside Maeda and Nakamoto's good performances, men's marathon team member Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) ran badly at the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, 14th in 1:05:05. Masakazu Fujiwara (Team Honda) is scheduled to race next weekend's Great Manchester Run 10 km, but missing in action was 2:08:12 man Hiroyuki Horibata (Team Asahi Kasei), seen neither this weekend at the Kyushu region championships nor on home ground at last weekend's Golden Games in Nobeoka.
Kyushu Corporate Track and Field Championships
Fukuoka, 5/18-19/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m Heat 3 - 5/18
1. Paul Tanui (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) - 27:21.50 - WL, MR
2. Melaku Abera (Ethiopia/Team Kurosaki Harima) - 28:18.57
3. Jeremiah Karemi (Kenya/Team Toyota Kyushu) - 28:26.68
4. Kenichi Shiraishi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 28:42.17
5. Masato Imai (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 28:45.24
6. Kazuhiro Maeda (Team Kyudenko) - 28:45.37
7. Fumihiro Maruyama (Team Asahi Kasei) - 28:46.34
8. Ryuji Watanabe (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 28:47.37
9. Kohei Matsumura (Team Mitsubishi Juko Nagasaki) - 28:52.97
10. Kentaro Nakamoto (Team Yasukawa Denki) - 28:59.14
Men's 5000 m - 5/19
1. Tomoya Onishi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 14:04.76
2. Kei Goto (Team Nishitetsu) - 14:30.07
3. Yuki Mori (Team Memoread) - 14:35.93
Men's 1500 m - 5/18
1. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Team Asahi Kasei) - 3:48.46
2. Koki Maeda (Team Kyudenko) - 3:49.57
3. Kenta Maeda (Team Kyudenko) - 4:01.25
Women's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Misaki Kato (Team Kyudenko) - 33:10.83
2. Chieko Kido (Canon AC Kyushu) - 33:11.05
3. Keiko Nogami (Team Juhachi Ginko) - 33:11.17
Women's 5000 m - 5/19
1. Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) - 15:17.47 - MR
2. Eri Hayakawa (Team Toto) - 16:02.04
3. Megumi Amako (Canon AC Kyushu) - 16:02.55
East Japan Corporate Track and Field Championships
Ibaraki, 5/18-19/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m Heat 2 - 5/18
1. Bedan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA RC) - 27:30.65
2. Azmeraw Mengistu (Ethiopia/Team Honda) - 27:59.96
3. Johnson Kiumbani (Kenya/Team Konica Minolta) - 28:01.87
4. Paul Kuira (Kenya/Team Konica Minolta) - 28:21.42
5. Benjamin Ngandu (Kenya/Team Monteroza) - 28:30.25
Men's 5000 m Heat 4 - 5/19
1. Leonard Barsoton (Kenya/Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 13:34.65
2. Zewdie Million (Ethiopia/Team Yachiyo Kogyo) - 13:41.19
3. Clement Langat (Kenya/Team Subaru) - 13:42.32
4. Tsuyoshi Ugachi (Team Konica Minolta) - 13:49.21
5. Masato Kikuchi (Team Konica Minolta) - 13:57.31
Men's 1500 m Final - 5/18
1. Bikila Demma Daba (Ethiopia/Team Kanebo) - 3:42.54
2. Yasunori Murakami (Team Fujitsu) - 3:45.57
3. Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 3:46.73
4. Keisuke Tanaka (Team Fujitsu) - 3:48.33
5. Yuichiro Ueno (DeNA RC) - 3:50.48
Women's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Doricah Obare (Kenya/Team Hitachi) - 32:17.35
2. Yurie Doi (Team Starts) - 32:26.89
3. Grace Kimanzi (Kenya/Team Starts) - 32:41.69
4. Shiho Takechi (Team Yamada Denki) - 32:52.57
5. Yuka Tokuda (Team Starts) - 32:54.03
Women's 5000 m - 5/19
1. Felista Wanjugu (Kenya/Team Univ. Ent.) - 15:52.18
2. Yuki Hidaka (Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 15:55.64
3. Moeno Nakamura (Team Univ. Ent.) - 15:57.59
4. Risa Takenaka (Team Shiseido) - 15:57.84
5. Rina Yamazaki (Team Panasonic) - 16:00.53
Women's 3000 m - 5/19
1. Tomomi Tanaka (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 9:29.46
2. Tomoyo Yamamoto (Team Sekisui Kagaku) - 9:29.75
3. Sakiko Naito (Team Panasonic) - 9:29.75
Women's 1500 m - 5/18
1. Chihiro Sunaga (Team Shiseido) - 4:23.27
2. Madoka Mitsueda (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 4:23.79
3. Mika Nakagawa (Team Hokuren) - 4:27.02
Chubu Corporate Track and Field Championships
Gifu, 5/11-12/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m - 5/11
1. Patrick Muwaka (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) - 27:56.28
2. Agato Yashin Hassan (Ethiopia/Team Chuo Hatsujo) - 28:39.77
3. Minato Oishi (Team Toyota) - 28:40.49
4. Takahiro Aso (Team Aisan Kogyo) - 28:42.55
5. Micah Njeru (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 28:43.87
Men's 5000 m - 5/12
1. Patrick Mutunga (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 13:39.01
2. Jacob Wanjuki (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) - 13:43.44
3. Edward Waweru (Kenya/Team NTN) - 13:46.87
4. Chihiro Miyawaki (Team Toyota) - 13:51.97
5. Chiharu Nakamura (Team Toenec) - 14:01.98
Men's 1500 m - 5/11
1. Patrick Mutunga (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 3:47.67
2. Hideyuki Tanaka (Team Toyota) - 3:48.23
3. Chiharu Nakamura (Team Toenec) - 3:50.45
Women's 10000 m - 5/11
1. Yuka Takashima (Team Denso) - 33:09.70
2. Michi Numata (Team Toyota Jidoshokki) - 33:37.94
3. Chika Nakama (Team Aichi Denki) - 34:19.36
Women's 5000 m - 5/12
1. Susan Wairimu (Kenya/Team Denso) - 16:15.32
2. Yuko Mizuguchi (Team Denso) - 16:19.52
3. Sayuri Sento (Team Toyota Jidoshokki) - 16:20.02
Hokuriku Corporate Track and Field Championships
Niigata, 5/11-12/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m - 5/12
1. Alex Mwangi (Kenya/Team YKK) - 28:11.32
Men's 5000 m - 5/12
1. Naohiro Yamada (Team YKK) - 14:34.97
Women's 10000 m - 5/12
1. Maiko Kushima (Niigata Albirex RC) - 36:06.95
Women's 5000 m - 5/12
1. Azusa Saito (Niigata Albirex RC) - 17:06.89
Chugoku Corporate Track and Field Championships
Hiroshima, 5/11, 18-19/13
click here for complete results
Men's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Charles Ndirangu (Kenya/Team JFE Steel) - 28:27.67
2. Akihiko Tsumurai (Team Mazda) - 28:43.62
3. Joseph Gitau (Kenya/Team JFE Steel) - 28:48.85
Men's 5000 m Heat 4 - 5/11
1. Charles Ndirangu (Kenya/Team JFE Steel) - 13:36.57 - MR
2. Akihiko Tsumurai (Team Mazda) - 13:54.56
3. Kenji Yamamoto (Team Mazda) - 13:57.83
Women's 10000 m - 5/18
1. Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo) - 32:35.54
2. Akari Ota (Team Tenmaya) - 33:50.20
3. Nanami Matsuura (Team Tenmaya) - 33:57.35
Women' 5000 m - 5/11
1. Akari Ota (Team Tenmaya) - 15:58.59
2. Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo) - 15:58.95
3. Asahi Takeuchi (Team Uniqlo) - 16:00.66
Kansai Corporate Track and Field Championships
Hyogo, 5/17-19/13
Men's 10000 m Heat 2 - 5/17
1. Yohei Nishiyama (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) - 29:10.75
2. Yusuke Kawaminami (Team Osaka Gas) - 29:12.49
3. Kenta Iinuma (Team Sagawa Express) - 29:27.77
Men's 5000 m Heat 4 - 5/19
1. Shohei Morikawa (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 14:05.83
2. Masaki Sekido (Team NTT Nishi Nihon) - 14:06.49
3. Kentaro Masuda (Team NTT Nishi Nihon) - 14:06.76
Women's 10000 m - 5/17
1. Noriko Higuchi (Team Wacoal) - 33:07.29
2. Yoko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera) - 33:09.04
3. Yuki Mitsunobu (Team Kyocera) - 33:10.25
Women's 5000 m - 5/18
1. Kotomi Takayama (Team Sysmex) - 16:02.95
2. Mai Ito (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) - 16:02.98
3. Misato Tanaka (Team Sysmex) - 16:04.94
(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Tadese Over Mathathi for Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon CR; Tufa Gets Women's CR in Close Race With Kirwa
by Brett Larner
video by Nick Ramsay
World record holder Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea) took down defending champion Martin Mathathi (Kenya/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) at Sunday's Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, getting away early to set a new course record of 1:00:31. Leading a pack of six through a 14:14 opening 5 km split, Tadese dropped a 14:04 over the next 5 km to take the race out of the competition's comfort zones and go ahead alone. With a 37-second lead over the chase group of Mathathi, Jacob Wanjuki (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) and Cyrus Njui (Kenya/ Team Hitachi Butsuryu) at 15 km Tadese backed off to a 14:34 split from 15 to 20 km, but despite Mathathi and Wanjuki picking it up and closing the gap they were too far away and had to settle for a duel for 2nd, Mathathi proving the stronger as he crossed the line in 1:00:54, two seconds ahead of Wanjuki. Moscow World Championships marathoner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't), running just a week after going sub-64 at the Sendai International Half Marathon, struggled in to a 14th-place finish in 1:05:05.
The women's race was much closer, with Mestawet Tufa (Ethiopia) and Eunice Kirwa (Kenya) locked together through 20 km and pushing each other on to break the course record. Tufa's last surge was too much for Kirwa to handle, the Ethiopia getting course record honors in 1:10:03. Kirwa, 6 seconds back, also cleared the old record in 1:10:09, with Australian Lara Tamsett rounding out the top three in 1:13:33 after running the entire race alone. Yuko Mizuguchi (Team Denso) was the top Japanese finisher, 4th overall in 1:14:44.
3rd Naoko Takahashi Cup Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon
Gifu, 5/19/13
complete results coming shortly
Men
1. Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea) - 1:00:31 - CR
2. Martin Mathathi (Kenya/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:00:54
3. Jacob Wanjuki (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) - 1:00:55
4. Cyrus Njui (Kenya/Team Hitachi Butsuryu) - 1:01:08
5. Abayneh Ayele (Ethiopia/Team Mazda) - 1:01:43
6. Patrick Muwaka (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) - 1:01:57
7. Micah Njeru (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 1:02:38
8. Taiga Ito (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:03:45
9. Yoshiki Otsuka (Team Aichi Seiko) - 1:04:37
10. Ryan Vail (U.S.A.) - 1:04:52
-----
14. Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) - 1:05:05
Women
1. Mestawet Tufa (Ethiopia) - 1:10:03 - CR
2. Eunice Kirwa (Kenya) - 1:10:09
3. Lara Tamsett (Australia) - 1:13:33
4. Yuko Mizuguchi (Team Denso) - 1:14:44
5. Chika Nakama (Team Aichi Denki) - 1:15:47
6. Rina Asano (Team Yutaka Giken) - 1:16:07
7. Mayumi Nagai (Team Kojima Press) - 1:16:38
8. Shizuka Takatani (Team Aichi Denki) - 1:16:52
9. Maiko Murayama (Team T&F) - 1:17:28
10. Hitomi Ogata (Team Aichi Denki) - 1:17:37
(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
video by Nick Ramsay
World record holder Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea) took down defending champion Martin Mathathi (Kenya/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) at Sunday's Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, getting away early to set a new course record of 1:00:31. Leading a pack of six through a 14:14 opening 5 km split, Tadese dropped a 14:04 over the next 5 km to take the race out of the competition's comfort zones and go ahead alone. With a 37-second lead over the chase group of Mathathi, Jacob Wanjuki (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) and Cyrus Njui (Kenya/ Team Hitachi Butsuryu) at 15 km Tadese backed off to a 14:34 split from 15 to 20 km, but despite Mathathi and Wanjuki picking it up and closing the gap they were too far away and had to settle for a duel for 2nd, Mathathi proving the stronger as he crossed the line in 1:00:54, two seconds ahead of Wanjuki. Moscow World Championships marathoner Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't), running just a week after going sub-64 at the Sendai International Half Marathon, struggled in to a 14th-place finish in 1:05:05.
The women's race was much closer, with Mestawet Tufa (Ethiopia) and Eunice Kirwa (Kenya) locked together through 20 km and pushing each other on to break the course record. Tufa's last surge was too much for Kirwa to handle, the Ethiopia getting course record honors in 1:10:03. Kirwa, 6 seconds back, also cleared the old record in 1:10:09, with Australian Lara Tamsett rounding out the top three in 1:13:33 after running the entire race alone. Yuko Mizuguchi (Team Denso) was the top Japanese finisher, 4th overall in 1:14:44.
3rd Naoko Takahashi Cup Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon
Gifu, 5/19/13
complete results coming shortly
Men
1. Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea) - 1:00:31 - CR
2. Martin Mathathi (Kenya/Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:00:54
3. Jacob Wanjuki (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) - 1:00:55
4. Cyrus Njui (Kenya/Team Hitachi Butsuryu) - 1:01:08
5. Abayneh Ayele (Ethiopia/Team Mazda) - 1:01:43
6. Patrick Muwaka (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) - 1:01:57
7. Micah Njeru (Kenya/Team Toyota Boshoku) - 1:02:38
8. Taiga Ito (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 1:03:45
9. Yoshiki Otsuka (Team Aichi Seiko) - 1:04:37
10. Ryan Vail (U.S.A.) - 1:04:52
-----
14. Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) - 1:05:05
Women
1. Mestawet Tufa (Ethiopia) - 1:10:03 - CR
2. Eunice Kirwa (Kenya) - 1:10:09
3. Lara Tamsett (Australia) - 1:13:33
4. Yuko Mizuguchi (Team Denso) - 1:14:44
5. Chika Nakama (Team Aichi Denki) - 1:15:47
6. Rina Asano (Team Yutaka Giken) - 1:16:07
7. Mayumi Nagai (Team Kojima Press) - 1:16:38
8. Shizuka Takatani (Team Aichi Denki) - 1:16:52
9. Maiko Murayama (Team T&F) - 1:17:28
10. Hitomi Ogata (Team Aichi Denki) - 1:17:37
(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Japanese Federation Establishes Sexual Harassment and Abuse Counseling Service
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20130517-OHT1T00127.htm
translated by Brett Larner
The Japanese Federation, Rikuren, announced on May 17 that it is establishing a new counseling service effective May 20 to help deal with the problems of sexual harassment and physical abuse. Those in need of assistance and consultation can contact the service through a dedicated telephone hotline or the official website.
Within the track and field world, problems have recently arisen including a national champion-level high school coach who repeatedly employed corporal punishment against team members, and how punishment should be dealt with.
translated by Brett Larner
The Japanese Federation, Rikuren, announced on May 17 that it is establishing a new counseling service effective May 20 to help deal with the problems of sexual harassment and physical abuse. Those in need of assistance and consultation can contact the service through a dedicated telephone hotline or the official website.
Within the track and field world, problems have recently arisen including a national champion-level high school coach who repeatedly employed corporal punishment against team members, and how punishment should be dealt with.
Friday, May 17, 2013
A Million Times
Today JRN received its millionth visitor since it began in 2007. Thank you. A million times.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Kanto-Region Collegiates Osako and the Shitara Twins Lead Push Into New Era of Japanese Men's Distance Running - Kanto Regionals Preview
by Brett Larner
This weekend is the first of two for the biggest meet in Japanese university athletics, the Kanto Regional University Track and Field Championships. Thanks to the presence of the legendary Hakone Ekiden the Kanto region or KGRR is the center of Japanese university men’s distance running, and its regional championships are both deeper and higher-quality than the National meet where a limited number of KGRR schools compete with universally weaker schools from other parts of the country.
With a 27:38.31 by 21-year-old Waseda University senior Suguru Osako last month at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, sub-28 runs from identical twin Toyo University seniors Keita and Yuta Shitara, both 21, at last week’s Golden Games in Nobeoka and much more there has been a rush of activity by Japan’s 18-22 set recently. It’s time for an update of JRN’s ongoing comparison of the best of this group with their counterparts in the United States’ NCAA, a comparison to which additions and factual corrections are always welcome. I remain deeply indebted to Flotrack’s Mitch Kastoff for his tireless promotion of my four years of work on this topic.
Click to enlarge or open in a new window for full-sized version. From the data in this table, which uses equivalent performances determined using the McMillan calculator for the four major long distances, the relative strengths of the U.S. and Japanese athletes in this age group are fairly clear. On the American side, NCAA athletes generally remain focused on long-term development over distances 5000 m and shorter through their college careers, leading to both greater quality and greater quantity of athletes at those distances as they mature. Beginning at age 20, American athletes also begin to turn in equivalent quality 10000 m performances, the number of which roughly doubles within each single-year age group. The half marathon and marathon distances are not part of the vocabulary of American athletes in this age range.
Among Japanese athletes in the same age group, the majority of which are KGRR collegiates, there is little emphasis on distances 5000 m and shorter, and as a result, of the four distances compared the 5000 m sees the fewest quality performances. The 10000 m and half marathon, the same sorts of distances athletes face in the fall and winter ekiden season, are the main focus from the go, and the quantity and quality for both increase with age. At age 21 the marathon also enters the repertoire at a world-class level.
Comparing the two sets, overall Japan produces much larger numbers of athletes at the ages and performance levels in question than the U.S. Although the U.S. consistently produces larger numbers of high-level 5000 m runners, there is no significant edge in quality at that distance until age 22. Over 10000 m, the very top American athletes have a slight and consistent edge in quality from age 20 on, countered by a greater quantity of high-level Japanese athletes. Luke Puskedra and Todd Williams’ sub-62 half marathons compare favorably with the best Japanese men in this age group and show that the potential would be there for NCAA athletes to excel at this distance if their system had that orientation. Similarly, the 5000 m performances of Kensuke Takezawa and Yuki Sato at age 19 and 20, a full 5 seconds faster than the likes of future sub-13 American Dathan Ritzenhein, suggest that KGRR runners and other Japanese men would have the potential to develop into equally capable track runners if that were a priority in their system.
What’s new and exciting is the rate of change in the KGRR over the last three to four years. Fifteen men, colored green on the table above, responsible for roughly half of the age 19 and 20 half marathon performances and age 20 and 21 10000 m performances to make the Japanese lists, are still under age 23 and setting new marks. Eleven are from the KGRR, with the remaining four from the corporate leagues and none from other university regions. Eight of them have added nine performances to the list this year alone. When Osako, the Shitara twins, Chihiro Miyawaki and others turn 22 the numbers and lists for that age are bound to be rewritten the same way the age 19, 20 and 21 lists have been over the last few years. In the NCAA, only three athletes under 23, the superb Chris Derrick along with wunderkind German Fernandez and recent addition Eric Jenkins, are performing at this level, with only Derrick and Jenkins making contributions so far this year. Even eliminating the half marathon, the KGRR maintains an advantage. It is safe to say that at this point in history the rate of progress is far greater in the KGRR than in the NCAA and that despite its achievements over shorter distances, when it comes to men’s long distance it’s clear the that the NCAA is rapidly taking a back seat as the world’s leading collegiate system.
A simple counter-argument is that the NCAA is more focused on long-term development while the KGRR approach may lead to early burnout, and to be sure whether this early move to longer distances is going to pay off in the future is the million-dollar question. But look at the simultaneous re-development of Japanese men’s marathoning over the last three years, extrapolate these young athletes’ performances forward and you can see the signs of critical things that Americans have had in abundance and Japan has been missing in recent years: positivity and momentum. It certainly looks like we’re on the cusp of an exciting era of Japanese men’s distance running. What’s still missing is the sharp edge, the peak athletes like Ritzenhein, Galen Rupp, Chris Solinsky and hopefully Derrick who can go on to a higher level of individual accomplishment, but the question of whether a system that produces a small number of super-elite within a wider poverty is necessarily healthier than one producing an overall high level is something that touches on social-economic issues and cultural values. Either way, athletes like Osako are working on it. He just beat Ritzenhein's best time at the same age. Rio and beyond should be interesting.
Most of these top-level under-23 Japanese men will be racing at the Kanto Regionals meet, with the 1500 m and 10000 m scheduled for this weekend and the 5000 m and half marathon next week. Along with a host of strong Japan-based Africans, the 1500 m includes Osako and Ikuto Yufu of 2012 National University Ekiden champion Komazawa University, while the 10000 m features Yufu's teammate Shinobu Kubota, 2012 National University Half Marathon champion Toshikatsu Ebina (Teikyo Univ.), both Shitara twins, Shuho Dairokuno (Meiji Univ.) and Shuhei Yamamoto (Waseda Univ.).
The half marathon doesn't have any top-level men on the entry list, but notable names include two-time New York City Half Marathon runner Kento Otsu (Toyo Univ.) and Yuki Kawauchi's younger brother Koki Kawauchi (Takasaki Keizai Univ.). The 5000 m looks like the event of the meet, with Dairokuno, Osako, the Shitara twins, Yamamoto and Yufu all returning for more up against a fresh Kenta Murayama (Komazawa Univ.).
Sprints are also looking good, with London Olympian men Shota Iizuka (Chuo Univ.) and Ryota Yamagata (Keio Univ.) facing off over 100 m, while their Olympic teammate Genki Dean (Waseda Univ.) will be the main draw on the field in the men's javelin. JRN will be covering the meet in detail over the next two weekends. Stay tuned.
(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
This weekend is the first of two for the biggest meet in Japanese university athletics, the Kanto Regional University Track and Field Championships. Thanks to the presence of the legendary Hakone Ekiden the Kanto region or KGRR is the center of Japanese university men’s distance running, and its regional championships are both deeper and higher-quality than the National meet where a limited number of KGRR schools compete with universally weaker schools from other parts of the country.
With a 27:38.31 by 21-year-old Waseda University senior Suguru Osako last month at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, sub-28 runs from identical twin Toyo University seniors Keita and Yuta Shitara, both 21, at last week’s Golden Games in Nobeoka and much more there has been a rush of activity by Japan’s 18-22 set recently. It’s time for an update of JRN’s ongoing comparison of the best of this group with their counterparts in the United States’ NCAA, a comparison to which additions and factual corrections are always welcome. I remain deeply indebted to Flotrack’s Mitch Kastoff for his tireless promotion of my four years of work on this topic.
Click to enlarge or open in a new window for full-sized version. From the data in this table, which uses equivalent performances determined using the McMillan calculator for the four major long distances, the relative strengths of the U.S. and Japanese athletes in this age group are fairly clear. On the American side, NCAA athletes generally remain focused on long-term development over distances 5000 m and shorter through their college careers, leading to both greater quality and greater quantity of athletes at those distances as they mature. Beginning at age 20, American athletes also begin to turn in equivalent quality 10000 m performances, the number of which roughly doubles within each single-year age group. The half marathon and marathon distances are not part of the vocabulary of American athletes in this age range.
Among Japanese athletes in the same age group, the majority of which are KGRR collegiates, there is little emphasis on distances 5000 m and shorter, and as a result, of the four distances compared the 5000 m sees the fewest quality performances. The 10000 m and half marathon, the same sorts of distances athletes face in the fall and winter ekiden season, are the main focus from the go, and the quantity and quality for both increase with age. At age 21 the marathon also enters the repertoire at a world-class level.
Comparing the two sets, overall Japan produces much larger numbers of athletes at the ages and performance levels in question than the U.S. Although the U.S. consistently produces larger numbers of high-level 5000 m runners, there is no significant edge in quality at that distance until age 22. Over 10000 m, the very top American athletes have a slight and consistent edge in quality from age 20 on, countered by a greater quantity of high-level Japanese athletes. Luke Puskedra and Todd Williams’ sub-62 half marathons compare favorably with the best Japanese men in this age group and show that the potential would be there for NCAA athletes to excel at this distance if their system had that orientation. Similarly, the 5000 m performances of Kensuke Takezawa and Yuki Sato at age 19 and 20, a full 5 seconds faster than the likes of future sub-13 American Dathan Ritzenhein, suggest that KGRR runners and other Japanese men would have the potential to develop into equally capable track runners if that were a priority in their system.
What’s new and exciting is the rate of change in the KGRR over the last three to four years. Fifteen men, colored green on the table above, responsible for roughly half of the age 19 and 20 half marathon performances and age 20 and 21 10000 m performances to make the Japanese lists, are still under age 23 and setting new marks. Eleven are from the KGRR, with the remaining four from the corporate leagues and none from other university regions. Eight of them have added nine performances to the list this year alone. When Osako, the Shitara twins, Chihiro Miyawaki and others turn 22 the numbers and lists for that age are bound to be rewritten the same way the age 19, 20 and 21 lists have been over the last few years. In the NCAA, only three athletes under 23, the superb Chris Derrick along with wunderkind German Fernandez and recent addition Eric Jenkins, are performing at this level, with only Derrick and Jenkins making contributions so far this year. Even eliminating the half marathon, the KGRR maintains an advantage. It is safe to say that at this point in history the rate of progress is far greater in the KGRR than in the NCAA and that despite its achievements over shorter distances, when it comes to men’s long distance it’s clear the that the NCAA is rapidly taking a back seat as the world’s leading collegiate system.
A simple counter-argument is that the NCAA is more focused on long-term development while the KGRR approach may lead to early burnout, and to be sure whether this early move to longer distances is going to pay off in the future is the million-dollar question. But look at the simultaneous re-development of Japanese men’s marathoning over the last three years, extrapolate these young athletes’ performances forward and you can see the signs of critical things that Americans have had in abundance and Japan has been missing in recent years: positivity and momentum. It certainly looks like we’re on the cusp of an exciting era of Japanese men’s distance running. What’s still missing is the sharp edge, the peak athletes like Ritzenhein, Galen Rupp, Chris Solinsky and hopefully Derrick who can go on to a higher level of individual accomplishment, but the question of whether a system that produces a small number of super-elite within a wider poverty is necessarily healthier than one producing an overall high level is something that touches on social-economic issues and cultural values. Either way, athletes like Osako are working on it. He just beat Ritzenhein's best time at the same age. Rio and beyond should be interesting.
Most of these top-level under-23 Japanese men will be racing at the Kanto Regionals meet, with the 1500 m and 10000 m scheduled for this weekend and the 5000 m and half marathon next week. Along with a host of strong Japan-based Africans, the 1500 m includes Osako and Ikuto Yufu of 2012 National University Ekiden champion Komazawa University, while the 10000 m features Yufu's teammate Shinobu Kubota, 2012 National University Half Marathon champion Toshikatsu Ebina (Teikyo Univ.), both Shitara twins, Shuho Dairokuno (Meiji Univ.) and Shuhei Yamamoto (Waseda Univ.).
The half marathon doesn't have any top-level men on the entry list, but notable names include two-time New York City Half Marathon runner Kento Otsu (Toyo Univ.) and Yuki Kawauchi's younger brother Koki Kawauchi (Takasaki Keizai Univ.). The 5000 m looks like the event of the meet, with Dairokuno, Osako, the Shitara twins, Yamamoto and Yufu all returning for more up against a fresh Kenta Murayama (Komazawa Univ.).
Sprints are also looking good, with London Olympian men Shota Iizuka (Chuo Univ.) and Ryota Yamagata (Keio Univ.) facing off over 100 m, while their Olympic teammate Genki Dean (Waseda Univ.) will be the main draw on the field in the men's javelin. JRN will be covering the meet in detail over the next two weekends. Stay tuned.
(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
1:01:16 Half Marathoner Tsubota Takes Over as Ekiden Head Coach at Hosei University
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20130515-OHT1T00093.htm
translated by Brett Larner
Hosei University announced on May 15 that ekiden assistant coach Tomoo Tsubota, 35, has been promoted to the team's head coach position. Previous head coach Michihiko Narita, 56, moved to the assistant director's office in April.
Tsubota joined the Konica Minolta team in 2000 after graduating from Hosei, running the 10000 m at the 2003 World Championships. Since 2010 he has been acting as assistant coach at Hosei on special assignment from the Konica Minolta corporation.
translated by Brett Larner
Hosei University announced on May 15 that ekiden assistant coach Tomoo Tsubota, 35, has been promoted to the team's head coach position. Previous head coach Michihiko Narita, 56, moved to the assistant director's office in April.
Tsubota joined the Konica Minolta team in 2000 after graduating from Hosei, running the 10000 m at the 2003 World Championships. Since 2010 he has been acting as assistant coach at Hosei on special assignment from the Konica Minolta corporation.
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