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Kinukawa, Hayakari, Aburaya and More to Run Fukuoka International Cross Country Meet

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/news/20080220-OYT1T00480.htm
http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2008022000877

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Rikuren released the entry lists today for this year's Fukuoka International Cross Country Meet to be held Mar. 1 in Fukuoka's Uminonakamichi Seaside Park. The women's 6 km race features 64 entrants including 3000 m steeplechase national record holder Minori Hayakari (Kyoto Koka AC), last year's winner Megumi Kinukawa (Sendai Ikuei High School) and 1500 m national record holder Yuriko Kobayashi (Team Toyota Jidoshokki).

The men's 10 km race will see a field of 128 starring Athens Olympics men's marathon 5th place finisher Shigeru Aburaya (Team Chugoku Denryoku) and Chiba International Cross Country 12 km 3rd place finisher Makoto Tobimatsu (Team Yasukawa Denki). Also appearing are Yu Mitsuya (Team Toyota Jidosha Kyushu) and Yuki Sato (Tokai University).

The meet is a qualifying event for the World Cross Country Championships to be held Mar. 30 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and will be used to select the Japanese national team.

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