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Fujioka Girls Score First Victory at National Junior High School Ekiden

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/e-japan/shizuoka/news/20071215-OYT8T00825.htm

translated by Brett Larner

At the 15th All-Japan Junior High School Ekiden in Yamaguchi`s Seminar Park, Fujioka Junior High School (Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture) ran 40:40 in the girls` race to earn its 1st win in this ekiden. Fujioka`s boys` team finished 9th.

The event hosted both 47 boys` and girls` teams with 1 host prefectural all-star team in each gender division making for a total 96 entries. The boys` course covered 18 km in 6 stages while the girls` course was made up of 5 stages totalling 12 km.

The Fujioka girls` 1st stage runner, Saeko Yuda (3rd year), handed off to Marina Oishi (3rd year) in 2nd place just 2 seconds down from the top spot. Oishi took the lead and Fujioka maintained the top position all the way until anchor Kaede Yamazaki (3rd year) crossed the finish line.

Running with the memory of last year`s race in which they finished 2nd by just 4 seconds, Fujioka defeated its demons. 3rd stage runner Kana Furuya (1st year) enthusiastically smiled, "This was the best! I love being on this team." 4th stage runner Mei Niimura (2nd year) earned fastest stage time honors by widening the lead over 2nd place to 25 seconds. Niimura told reporters, "I ran with the plan to sprint the last 500 m. I`m so happy that it worked."

Girls
1st stage (3 km): Saeko Yuda: 9:58
2nd stage (2 km): Marina Oishi: 6:51
3rd stage (2 km): Kana Furuya: 6:45
4th stage (2 km): Mei Niimura: 6:49 (stage best time)
5th stage (3 km): Kaede Yamazaki: 10:17

Boys
1st stage (3 km): Shoya Okuno: 9:46
2nd stage (3 km): Yuta Katsumata: 9:12 (stage best time)
3rd stage (3 km): Ryuta Furuya: 9:53
4th stage (3 km): Yu Araki: 9:30
5th stage (3 km): Tatsuya Ito: 10:12
6th stage (3 km): Tsubasa Tobita 9:46

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