http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/general/track/news/20120204k0000m050008000c.html
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2012/02/04/kiji/K20120204002563870.html
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20120203-OHT1T00147.htm
http://www.47news.jp/sports/localsports/2012/02/post_20120204110414.html
translated and edited by Brett Larner
On Feb. 3 Rikuren announced the invited athlete list for the Feb. 12 Chiba International Cross-Country Meet. Headlining the senior 8 km and 12 km lists are women's 5000 m national champion Megumi Kinukawa (Mizuno) and men's 10000 m national champion Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin), along with others kicking off a season they hope will lead to the Olympics on the track. Top university talent in the senior men's 12 km include Hakone Ekiden stars Suguru Osako (Waseda University) and Ikuto Yufu (Komazawa Univ.). The women's 8 km also features Ukrainian Tetiana Gamera-Shmyrko, the runner-up at last weekend's Osaka International Women's Marathon.
Men's 1500 m national champion Hiroshi Ino (Team Fujitsu) will run the senior men's 4 km. In the junior races, women's 1500 m national champion Mika Kobayashi (Suma Gakuen H.S.) and National Sports Festival 5000 m and 3000 m winners Ken Yokote (Sakushin Gakuin H.S.) and Tomoka Kimura (Chikushi Joshi Gakuen H.S.) are on the entry lists.
In its 47th running the Chiba International XC Meet will be a selection race for both March's Asian XC Championships in China and April's World University XC Championships in Poland.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
'Kisorio Versus Mogusu - Preview of Marugame Half Marathon'
http://www.iaaf.org/Mini/LRR12/News/NewsDetail.aspx?id=63475
To Ken Nakamura's preview of Sunday's 66th Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon I would add mention of sub-28 World Championships 10000 m runner Yuki Iwai (Team Asahi Kasei) tuning up for his marathon debut at the Tokyo Marathon after a good New Year Ekiden run, and the crop of top Hakone Ekiden university runners in the field. Keita Shitara (Toyo Univ.) is the most worth watching, making his official half marathon debut after having run 1:08:04 on the 23.2 km Second Stage at Hakone, equivalent to a 1:01:54 half marathon at a flat conversion. Last year's #2 Japanese half marathoner, Hiromitsu Kakuage (Komazawa Univ.) returns along with his teammate, Hakone Ekiden Ninth Stage winner Shinobu Kubota,, whose 1:09:04 clocking for 23.2 km at Hakone suggests mid-62 capability. Waseda University's strong Shuhei Yamamoto and Hiroyuki Sasaki are scheduled to make their half marathon debuts, and Kokushikan University distance ace Masaki Ito will be looking to improve on his PB of 1:02:53. 2010 Ottawa Marathon winner Arata Fujiwara (Tokyo T&F Assoc.) is also in the field, testing his fitness ahead of an attempted comeback in Tokyo after a bad year.
To Ken Nakamura's preview of Sunday's 66th Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon I would add mention of sub-28 World Championships 10000 m runner Yuki Iwai (Team Asahi Kasei) tuning up for his marathon debut at the Tokyo Marathon after a good New Year Ekiden run, and the crop of top Hakone Ekiden university runners in the field. Keita Shitara (Toyo Univ.) is the most worth watching, making his official half marathon debut after having run 1:08:04 on the 23.2 km Second Stage at Hakone, equivalent to a 1:01:54 half marathon at a flat conversion. Last year's #2 Japanese half marathoner, Hiromitsu Kakuage (Komazawa Univ.) returns along with his teammate, Hakone Ekiden Ninth Stage winner Shinobu Kubota,, whose 1:09:04 clocking for 23.2 km at Hakone suggests mid-62 capability. Waseda University's strong Shuhei Yamamoto and Hiroyuki Sasaki are scheduled to make their half marathon debuts, and Kokushikan University distance ace Masaki Ito will be looking to improve on his PB of 1:02:53. 2010 Ottawa Marathon winner Arata Fujiwara (Tokyo T&F Assoc.) is also in the field, testing his fitness ahead of an attempted comeback in Tokyo after a bad year.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Watch the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon Live Online - 2012 Preview
by Brett Larner
The 61st running of the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, one of Japan's oldest, takes place this Sunday, Feb. 5. Outside the circuit of Olympic-qualifying races this year, Beppu-Oita's domestic field is largely developmental, but it features a good international field of athletes looking to run Olympic-qualifying marks for their own countries including one prominent debut. Overseas viewers should be able to watch TBS' race broadcast via Keyhole TV beginning at 11:50 a.m. Japan time on the 5th. JRN will once again cover the race via Twitter @JRNLive.
The Japanese field includes five men who ran second-tier PBs at other domestic marathons last year. Yuki Moriwaki (Team JFE Steel) leads the way with a 2:12:34 from last year's Beppu-Oita. Moriwaki is closely followed by the Koichi Morishita-coached Kenji Takeuchi (Team Toyota Kyushu) with a 2:12:44 at last year's Nobeoka Nishi Nihon Marathon. One noteworthy name among the five is Norimasa Nishina (Team Fujitsu), a first-year pro who debuted less than two months ago at the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon where he ran 2:15:12. Takehiro Arakawa and Yoshikazu Kawazoe, two members of local Kyushu powerhouse Team Asahi Kasei, will be making their debuts, as will 2012 Hakone Ekiden course record-setting Toyo University's Takaaki Tanaka and his former teammate Yu Chiba, now a first-year pro with Team Honda.
Despite the withdrawal of 2:06:16 veteran Daniel Njenga (Kenya/Team Yakult) the overseas field remains solid, including 2003 Beppu-Oita winner Samson Ramadhani (Tanzania), 2010 and 2011 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon winner Serod Batochir (Mongolia), 2011 Hokkaido Marathon winner Harun Njoroge (Kenya/Team Komori Corp.), 2:08:18 runner and on-paper favorite Abdellah Falil who is seeking to become the third Moroccan winner in four years in Beppu-Oita, 2010's dramatic 3rd-place finisher Jeff Hunt (Australia), and, in a surprising marathon debut, former Ethiopian 3000 m SC national record holder Yakob Jarso (Ethiopia). Between Falil, Ramadhani, Jarso and his countryman Desta Gebrehiwet the course record of 2:08:30 could be under threat if the always-unpredictable Beppu Bay winds cooperate.
The women's race sees course record holder Chiyuki Mochizuki (Canon AC Kyushu) return, but she is very likely to lose her record should sub-2:30 woman Kaori Yoshida (Amino Vital AC) start. Since appearing on the Beppu-Oita entry list Yoshida's name has been announced as an invited runner at the Ome 30 km road race in two weeks, a feasible double but raising the possibility that she will be a DNS in Beppu. If she runs a new course record under 2:35 should be all but guaranteed.
2012 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon Elite Field
Oita, 2/5/12
click here for complete field listing
Men
1. Samson Ramadhani (Tanzania) - 2:08:01 (London, 2003)
2. Abdellah Falil (Morocco) - 2:08:18 (Daegu, 2011)
3. Adam Draczynski (Poland) - 2:10:49 (Vienna, 2010)
4. Jeff Hunt (Australia) - 2:11:00 (Beppu-Oita, 2010)
5. Serod Batochir (Mongolia) - 2:11:35 (London, 2011)
6. Desta Gebrehiwet (Ethiopia) - 2:11:55 (Venice, 2011)
7. Yakob Jarso (Ethiopia) - debut - 1:00:07 (New Delhi, 2010)
12. Harun Njoroge (Kenya/Team Komori Corp.) - 2:11:43 (Beppu-Oita, 2011)
13. Yuki Moriwaki (Team JFE Steel) - 2:12:34 (Beppu-Oita, 2011)
14. Kenji Takeuchi (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 2:12:44 (Nobeoka, 2011)
15. Keisuke Wakui (Team Yakult) - 2:13:31 (Biwako, 2011)
16. Masanori Ishida (Team Sagawa Express) - 2:13:54 (Nobeoka, 2011)
101. Norimasa Nishina (Team Fujitsu) - 2:15:12 (Hofu, 2011)
102. Chia Che Chang (Taiwan) - 2:17:12 (Hofu, 2008)
104. Tetsuo Nishimura (Team YKK) - 2:14:22 (Biwako, 2007)
105. Rei Yoshioka (Team Yakult) - debut - 1:02:56 (Ageo, 2005)
112. Teruto Ozaki (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 2:13:28 (Beijing, 2006)
115. Takehiro Arakawa (Team Asahi Kasei) - debut - 1:03:17 (Tamana, 2011)
116. Yoshikazu Kawazoe (Team Asahi Kasei) - debut - 1:03:19 (Nat'l Corp. Half, 2010)
120. Yu Chiba (Team Honda) - debut - 1:04:01
121. Takaaki Tanaka (Toyo Univ.) - debut - 1:05:44
Women
2001. Kaori Yoshida (Amino Vital AC) - 2:29:45 (Chicago, 2010)
2002. Chiyuki Mochizuki (Canon AC Kyushu) - 2:39:57 (Beppu-Oita, 2011)
2003. Yuka Ezaki (Team Kyudenko) - 2:31:35 (Osaka Int'l, 2007)
(c) 2012 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
The 61st running of the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, one of Japan's oldest, takes place this Sunday, Feb. 5. Outside the circuit of Olympic-qualifying races this year, Beppu-Oita's domestic field is largely developmental, but it features a good international field of athletes looking to run Olympic-qualifying marks for their own countries including one prominent debut. Overseas viewers should be able to watch TBS' race broadcast via Keyhole TV beginning at 11:50 a.m. Japan time on the 5th. JRN will once again cover the race via Twitter @JRNLive.
The Japanese field includes five men who ran second-tier PBs at other domestic marathons last year. Yuki Moriwaki (Team JFE Steel) leads the way with a 2:12:34 from last year's Beppu-Oita. Moriwaki is closely followed by the Koichi Morishita-coached Kenji Takeuchi (Team Toyota Kyushu) with a 2:12:44 at last year's Nobeoka Nishi Nihon Marathon. One noteworthy name among the five is Norimasa Nishina (Team Fujitsu), a first-year pro who debuted less than two months ago at the Hofu Yomiuri Marathon where he ran 2:15:12. Takehiro Arakawa and Yoshikazu Kawazoe, two members of local Kyushu powerhouse Team Asahi Kasei, will be making their debuts, as will 2012 Hakone Ekiden course record-setting Toyo University's Takaaki Tanaka and his former teammate Yu Chiba, now a first-year pro with Team Honda.
Despite the withdrawal of 2:06:16 veteran Daniel Njenga (Kenya/Team Yakult) the overseas field remains solid, including 2003 Beppu-Oita winner Samson Ramadhani (Tanzania), 2010 and 2011 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon winner Serod Batochir (Mongolia), 2011 Hokkaido Marathon winner Harun Njoroge (Kenya/Team Komori Corp.), 2:08:18 runner and on-paper favorite Abdellah Falil who is seeking to become the third Moroccan winner in four years in Beppu-Oita, 2010's dramatic 3rd-place finisher Jeff Hunt (Australia), and, in a surprising marathon debut, former Ethiopian 3000 m SC national record holder Yakob Jarso (Ethiopia). Between Falil, Ramadhani, Jarso and his countryman Desta Gebrehiwet the course record of 2:08:30 could be under threat if the always-unpredictable Beppu Bay winds cooperate.
The women's race sees course record holder Chiyuki Mochizuki (Canon AC Kyushu) return, but she is very likely to lose her record should sub-2:30 woman Kaori Yoshida (Amino Vital AC) start. Since appearing on the Beppu-Oita entry list Yoshida's name has been announced as an invited runner at the Ome 30 km road race in two weeks, a feasible double but raising the possibility that she will be a DNS in Beppu. If she runs a new course record under 2:35 should be all but guaranteed.
2012 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon Elite Field
Oita, 2/5/12
click here for complete field listing
Men
1. Samson Ramadhani (Tanzania) - 2:08:01 (London, 2003)
2. Abdellah Falil (Morocco) - 2:08:18 (Daegu, 2011)
3. Adam Draczynski (Poland) - 2:10:49 (Vienna, 2010)
4. Jeff Hunt (Australia) - 2:11:00 (Beppu-Oita, 2010)
5. Serod Batochir (Mongolia) - 2:11:35 (London, 2011)
6. Desta Gebrehiwet (Ethiopia) - 2:11:55 (Venice, 2011)
7. Yakob Jarso (Ethiopia) - debut - 1:00:07 (New Delhi, 2010)
12. Harun Njoroge (Kenya/Team Komori Corp.) - 2:11:43 (Beppu-Oita, 2011)
13. Yuki Moriwaki (Team JFE Steel) - 2:12:34 (Beppu-Oita, 2011)
14. Kenji Takeuchi (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 2:12:44 (Nobeoka, 2011)
15. Keisuke Wakui (Team Yakult) - 2:13:31 (Biwako, 2011)
16. Masanori Ishida (Team Sagawa Express) - 2:13:54 (Nobeoka, 2011)
101. Norimasa Nishina (Team Fujitsu) - 2:15:12 (Hofu, 2011)
102. Chia Che Chang (Taiwan) - 2:17:12 (Hofu, 2008)
104. Tetsuo Nishimura (Team YKK) - 2:14:22 (Biwako, 2007)
105. Rei Yoshioka (Team Yakult) - debut - 1:02:56 (Ageo, 2005)
112. Teruto Ozaki (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 2:13:28 (Beijing, 2006)
115. Takehiro Arakawa (Team Asahi Kasei) - debut - 1:03:17 (Tamana, 2011)
116. Yoshikazu Kawazoe (Team Asahi Kasei) - debut - 1:03:19 (Nat'l Corp. Half, 2010)
120. Yu Chiba (Team Honda) - debut - 1:04:01
121. Takaaki Tanaka (Toyo Univ.) - debut - 1:05:44
Women
2001. Kaori Yoshida (Amino Vital AC) - 2:29:45 (Chicago, 2010)
2002. Chiyuki Mochizuki (Canon AC Kyushu) - 2:39:57 (Beppu-Oita, 2011)
2003. Yuka Ezaki (Team Kyudenko) - 2:31:35 (Osaka Int'l, 2007)
(c) 2012 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Akaba to Run Nagoya Olympic Selection Race Instead of Tokyo Marathon
http://www.joc.or.jp/news/detail.html?id=1629
translated and edited by Brett Larner
With her ultimate target of making the London Olympics in mind, Daegu World Championships marathon 5th placer Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren) announced on Feb. 1 that she will run the final domestic Olympic selection race, the Mar. 11 Nagoya Women's Marathon (formerly the Nagoya International Women's Marathon), abandoning her plans to run the Feb. 26 Tokyo Marathon where she was last week named as an invited elite. On the strength of her World Championships performance Akaba had a good chance to be picked for the Olympic team without running one of the selection races, but, explained her husband and coach Shuhei Akaba on the couple's blog, "Not wanting to choose an alternative that might end up unhappily, Yukiko made this decision herself."
Translator's note: Akaba has previously indicated that she plans to retire to have another child following the London Olympics. With her addition Nagoya is going to be rough, with four of the five members of the 2011 World Championships team, national record holder Mizuki Noguchi, (Team Sysmex) 2010 champion Yuri Kano (Team Shiseido) a potential marathon debut from 10000 m junior national record holder Megumi Kinukawa (Mizuno) and others having already been named as likely entrants. No more than two women stand a chance of making the Olympic team from Nagoya.
translated and edited by Brett Larner
With her ultimate target of making the London Olympics in mind, Daegu World Championships marathon 5th placer Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren) announced on Feb. 1 that she will run the final domestic Olympic selection race, the Mar. 11 Nagoya Women's Marathon (formerly the Nagoya International Women's Marathon), abandoning her plans to run the Feb. 26 Tokyo Marathon where she was last week named as an invited elite. On the strength of her World Championships performance Akaba had a good chance to be picked for the Olympic team without running one of the selection races, but, explained her husband and coach Shuhei Akaba on the couple's blog, "Not wanting to choose an alternative that might end up unhappily, Yukiko made this decision herself."
Translator's note: Akaba has previously indicated that she plans to retire to have another child following the London Olympics. With her addition Nagoya is going to be rough, with four of the five members of the 2011 World Championships team, national record holder Mizuki Noguchi, (Team Sysmex) 2010 champion Yuri Kano (Team Shiseido) a potential marathon debut from 10000 m junior national record holder Megumi Kinukawa (Mizuno) and others having already been named as likely entrants. No more than two women stand a chance of making the Olympic team from Nagoya.
Sato Confident of 10000 m National Record This Spring
http://sports.nifty.com/cs/headline/details/ec-ns-f-sp-tp0-120131-0039/1.htm
translated by Brett Larner
10000 m ace Yuki Sato (25, Team Nissin Shokuhin) has set breaking the Japanese national record as his goal for the spring season. At a party on Jan. 31 at a Tokyo-area hotel to celebrate Team Nissin Shokuhin's New Year Ekiden national championship win, Sato said, "I spent January fully resting and recovering. In February and March I'll be building up toward breaking the Olympic A standard [27:45.00] in the U.S.A. in April." His precise goal is the Japanese national record, Toshinari Takaoka's 27:35.09. Sato's PB is 27:38.25, but, he said with obvious confidence, "I want to run in the 27:20's. If all goes well I can do it." Beyond that, Japan's top track runner is targeting the top eight at the London Olympics.
Translator's note: Last year's 10000 m national champion, Sato set a course record of 1:02:51 for the 22.0 km Third Stage at the Jan. 1 New Year Ekiden, equivalent to 1:00:16 for a half-marathon, 9 seconds faster than the half-marathon national record. Three other men already hold the 10000 m Olympic A-standard, Tsuyoshi Ugachi (27:40.69, Team Konica Minolta), Chihiro Miyawaki (27:41.57, Team Toyota) and Tetsuya Yoroizaka (27:44.30, Meiji University).
translated by Brett Larner
10000 m ace Yuki Sato (25, Team Nissin Shokuhin) has set breaking the Japanese national record as his goal for the spring season. At a party on Jan. 31 at a Tokyo-area hotel to celebrate Team Nissin Shokuhin's New Year Ekiden national championship win, Sato said, "I spent January fully resting and recovering. In February and March I'll be building up toward breaking the Olympic A standard [27:45.00] in the U.S.A. in April." His precise goal is the Japanese national record, Toshinari Takaoka's 27:35.09. Sato's PB is 27:38.25, but, he said with obvious confidence, "I want to run in the 27:20's. If all goes well I can do it." Beyond that, Japan's top track runner is targeting the top eight at the London Olympics.
Translator's note: Last year's 10000 m national champion, Sato set a course record of 1:02:51 for the 22.0 km Third Stage at the Jan. 1 New Year Ekiden, equivalent to 1:00:16 for a half-marathon, 9 seconds faster than the half-marathon national record. Three other men already hold the 10000 m Olympic A-standard, Tsuyoshi Ugachi (27:40.69, Team Konica Minolta), Chihiro Miyawaki (27:41.57, Team Toyota) and Tetsuya Yoroizaka (27:44.30, Meiji University).
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Hakone Ekiden Star Kashiwabara to Appear as Guest Runner at Hometown Iwaki Sunshine Marathon
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/news/20120130-OYT1T01091.htm
translated by Brett Larner
The organizers of the 3rd Iwaki Sunshine Marathon to be held Feb. 12 in Iwaki, Fukushima, announced Jan. 30 that Iwaki native Ryuji Kashiwabara, 22, the captain of 2012 Hakone Ekiden winners Toyo University, will run as a special guest at this year's race. Kashiwabara commented, "I hope that I can give even a little encouragement to everyone in my hometown to help them take another step toward rebuilding."
Kashiwabara is entered in the full marathon, which starts at the Iwaki Civic Track & Field Grounds, and plans to run around 8 km with the other entrants. Iwaki mayor and race committee director Takao Watanabe* said, "I want to extend my thanks to Kashiwabara for keeping all of us back home in his thoughts ever since the disasters."
*Translator's note: This is not the same Takao Watanabe who coached Samuel Wanjiru and currently coaches Megumi Kinukawa.
translated by Brett Larner
The organizers of the 3rd Iwaki Sunshine Marathon to be held Feb. 12 in Iwaki, Fukushima, announced Jan. 30 that Iwaki native Ryuji Kashiwabara, 22, the captain of 2012 Hakone Ekiden winners Toyo University, will run as a special guest at this year's race. Kashiwabara commented, "I hope that I can give even a little encouragement to everyone in my hometown to help them take another step toward rebuilding."
Kashiwabara is entered in the full marathon, which starts at the Iwaki Civic Track & Field Grounds, and plans to run around 8 km with the other entrants. Iwaki mayor and race committee director Takao Watanabe* said, "I want to extend my thanks to Kashiwabara for keeping all of us back home in his thoughts ever since the disasters."
*Translator's note: This is not the same Takao Watanabe who coached Samuel Wanjiru and currently coaches Megumi Kinukawa.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Ndirangu, Tsumurai, Komazawa University Set Course Records in Weekend Ekiden Action
by Brett Larner
Along with marathoner Yuki Kawauchi's anchor stage win at the Okumusashi Ekiden, three other ekidens around the country on Sunday saw significant action.
At the biggest of them, the 75th Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden, Team Mazda had a surprise upset over local stronghold Team Chugoku Denryoku thanks to a spectacular anchor run from ace Akihiko Tsumurai. Starting the 11.1 km Seventh Stage 43 seconds behind Chugoku Denryoku anchor Takumi Kiyotani, Tsumurai ran him down and won by three seconds, with Mazda finishing in 4:11:49 for the seven-stage, 84.4 km course to Chugoku Denryoku's 4:11:52. Tsumurai clocked a new stage record of 31:21, a flat conversion to 28:07 for a road 10 km, just two seconds off the national record held by Chugoku Denryoku's Atsushi Sato. 2011 national champion Sera H.S. was a surprise 3rd in 4:14:13, one second ahead of the pro Team Sagawa Express thanks to a sizeable lead from opening Kenyan John Gasaya and a new stage record of 45:24 for the 15.9 km Sixth Stage by star Charles Ndirangu. Ndirangu's record translates to 45:57 for 10 miles, just inside the all-time top 100 for that distance.
Near Tokyo, 2012 Hakone Ekiden runner-up Komazawa University set a new record of 2:05:13 at the 58th running of the six-stage 42.195 km Atsugi Ekiden. First Stage runner Shogo Nakamura led off with a strong 29:57 for 10.3 km to give Komazawa a 44-second lead that was never threatened. Komazawa's final margin of victory over runner-up Josai University was nearly two minutes as Josai came through the finish in 2:07:07. Shoin University was a surprise 3rd in 2:08:13 after a Third Stage win by Aritaka Kajiwara.
Komazawa runners were also busy elsewhere. At the first running of the Harenokuni Okayama Ekiden, Komazawa senior Taichi Takase ran 29:40 to win the 10.0 km anchor stage for his hometown of Niimi. Kurashiki H.S. star Shota Baba was an impressive 2nd in 29:44.
As ekiden season winds down, watch for one more competitive men's ekiden, the Feb. 5 Meigi Ekiden, and the Feb. 12 Chugoku Women's Ekiden.
(c) 2012 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Along with marathoner Yuki Kawauchi's anchor stage win at the Okumusashi Ekiden, three other ekidens around the country on Sunday saw significant action.
At the biggest of them, the 75th Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden, Team Mazda had a surprise upset over local stronghold Team Chugoku Denryoku thanks to a spectacular anchor run from ace Akihiko Tsumurai. Starting the 11.1 km Seventh Stage 43 seconds behind Chugoku Denryoku anchor Takumi Kiyotani, Tsumurai ran him down and won by three seconds, with Mazda finishing in 4:11:49 for the seven-stage, 84.4 km course to Chugoku Denryoku's 4:11:52. Tsumurai clocked a new stage record of 31:21, a flat conversion to 28:07 for a road 10 km, just two seconds off the national record held by Chugoku Denryoku's Atsushi Sato. 2011 national champion Sera H.S. was a surprise 3rd in 4:14:13, one second ahead of the pro Team Sagawa Express thanks to a sizeable lead from opening Kenyan John Gasaya and a new stage record of 45:24 for the 15.9 km Sixth Stage by star Charles Ndirangu. Ndirangu's record translates to 45:57 for 10 miles, just inside the all-time top 100 for that distance.
Near Tokyo, 2012 Hakone Ekiden runner-up Komazawa University set a new record of 2:05:13 at the 58th running of the six-stage 42.195 km Atsugi Ekiden. First Stage runner Shogo Nakamura led off with a strong 29:57 for 10.3 km to give Komazawa a 44-second lead that was never threatened. Komazawa's final margin of victory over runner-up Josai University was nearly two minutes as Josai came through the finish in 2:07:07. Shoin University was a surprise 3rd in 2:08:13 after a Third Stage win by Aritaka Kajiwara.
Komazawa runners were also busy elsewhere. At the first running of the Harenokuni Okayama Ekiden, Komazawa senior Taichi Takase ran 29:40 to win the 10.0 km anchor stage for his hometown of Niimi. Kurashiki H.S. star Shota Baba was an impressive 2nd in 29:44.
As ekiden season winds down, watch for one more competitive men's ekiden, the Feb. 5 Meigi Ekiden, and the Feb. 12 Chugoku Women's Ekiden.
(c) 2012 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Kawauchi Wins Okumusashi Ekiden Anchor Stage
http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/f-sp-tp0-20120129-896429.html
translated and edited by Brett Larner
A contender for the London Olympics men's marathon team, Yuki Kawauchi (24, Saitama Pref.) had a strong run at the amateur Okumusashi Ekiden on Jan. 29 in Hanno, Saitama. Anchoring his coworkers' Saitama Prefectural Government team, Kawauchi won the 9.283 km Sixth Stage with a time of 27:15, just four seconds off the course record, and advancing his team from 84th to 66th place. As he ran cheers of, "Go Kawauchi!" and "The Olympics!" followed him along the course.
"The distance today was short, so I treated it as a speed workout, a time trial," Kawauchi said after the race, satisfied with his performance. "I went out hard and tried to catch people who were slowing down, then in the second half I tried to hang on. It was a good run."
translated and edited by Brett Larner
A contender for the London Olympics men's marathon team, Yuki Kawauchi (24, Saitama Pref.) had a strong run at the amateur Okumusashi Ekiden on Jan. 29 in Hanno, Saitama. Anchoring his coworkers' Saitama Prefectural Government team, Kawauchi won the 9.283 km Sixth Stage with a time of 27:15, just four seconds off the course record, and advancing his team from 84th to 66th place. As he ran cheers of, "Go Kawauchi!" and "The Olympics!" followed him along the course.
"The distance today was short, so I treated it as a speed workout, a time trial," Kawauchi said after the race, satisfied with his performance. "I went out hard and tried to catch people who were slowing down, then in the second half I tried to hang on. It was a good run."
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