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Rikuren Announces Preliminary Lineup for Japanese Olympic Track & Field Team

by Brett Larner

Following the conclusion of the 2008 Japanese National Track and Field Championships, Rikuren announced on June 30 the preliminary lineup for the Japanese track and field team for the Beijing Olympics. The team includes twelve national record holders along with several defending medalists, junior and university record holders. Athletes have one more chance to make the Olympic team at the Nambu Memorial Track and Field Meet on July 6.

A complete list of the current Japanese team, with qualification time and PB:

Women`s 3000 m SC
Minori Hayakari - 9:38.68 (PB: 9:38.68 - NR)

Women`s 5000 m
Kayoko Fukushi - 15:05.73 (PB: 14:53.22 - NR)
Yuriko Kobayashi - 15:07.37 (PB: 15:07.37)

Women`s 10000 m
Yoko Shibui - 31:15.07 (PB: 30:48.89 - NR)
Yukiko Akaba - 31:15.34 (PB: 31:15.34)
Kayoko Fukushi - 31:18.79 (PB: 30:51.81)

Women`s 20 km Walk
Mayumi Kawasaki - 1:28:56 (PB: 1:28:56 - NR)
Sachiko Konishi - 1:30:26 (PB: 1:30:26)

Women`s Marathon
Mizuki Noguchi - 2:21:37 (PB: 2:19:12 - NR)
Yurika Nakamura - 2:25:51 (PB: 2:25:51)
Reiko Tosa - 2:26:15 (PB: 2:22:46)

Men`s 100 m
Nobuharu Asahara - 10.14 (PB: 10.02)
Naoki Tsukahara - 10.15 (PB: 10.15)

Men`s 110 m Hurdles
Masato Naito - 13.43 (PB: 13.43)

Men`s 200 m
Shingo Suetsugu - 20.20 (PB: 20.03 - NR)
Shinji Takahira - 20.52 (PB: 20.35)
Hitoshi Saito - 20.64 (PB: 20.64)

Men`s 400 m
Yuzo Kanemaru - 45.21 (PB: 45.21)
Mitsuhiro Abiko - 46.23 (PB: 46.23)

Men`s 400 m Hurdles
Kenji Narisako - 48.44 (PB: 47.93)
Dai Tamesue - 48.73 (PB: 47.89 - NR)

Men`s 3000 m SC
Yoshitaka Iwamizu - 8:23.31 (PB: 8:18.93 - NR)

Men`s 5000 m
Takayuki Matsumiya - 13:13.20 (PB: 13:13.20 - NR)
Kensuke Takezawa - 13:19.00 (PB: 13:19.00)

Men`s 10000 m
Takayuki Matsumiya - 27:41.75 (PB: 27:41.75)

Men`s 20 km Walk
Yuki Yamazaki - 1:20.38 (PB: 1:20:38)
Koichiro Morioka - 1:21:30 (PB: 1:21:30)

Men`s Marathon
Atsushi Sato - 2:07:13 (PB: 2:07:13)
Satoshi Osaki - 2:08:36 (PB: 2:08:36)
Tsuyoshi Ogata - 2:10:48 (PB: 2:08:37)

Men`s 50 km Walk
Yuki Yamazaki - 3:41.55 (PB: 3:41.55 - NR)
Koichiro Morioka - 3:49.33 (PB: 3:47.23)

Men`s Hammer
Koji Murofushi - 82.62 (PB: 84.86 - NR)
Yukifumi Murakami - 79.85 (PB: 81.71)

Men`s Pole Vault
Daichi Sawano - 5.75 (PB: 5.83 - NR)

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