National University Track and Field Championships

National University Track and Field Championships - Results

by Brett Larner

The 77th Japanese National University Track and Field Championships took place Sept. 12-14 at Tokyo's National Stadium. Nihon University's Daniel Gitau delivered the biggest shock of the meet, beating Yamanashi Gakuin University star Mekubo Mogusu in both the men's 5000 m and 10000 m after having been soundly defeated by Mogusu in May's Kanto Regional University Track and Field Championships where Mogusu set the 10000 m national university record.

Kenyan 'exchange students' rounded out the top three in the 10000 m with Hiroshima University of Economics' Samuel Ganga, who set the 5000 m meet record at June's National University Track and Field Individual Championships, narrowly beating out Meiji University's Yudai Matsumoto to take 3rd. Three ace Japanese runners battled for 3rd in the 5000 m, with Josai University's Yuta Takahashi edging out Juntendo University's Hiroyuki Ono, famous for his gutsy but unsuccessful run on the 5th stage of this year's Hakone Ekiden, and Tokai University's world-class but ailing Yuki Sato.

National university record holder Mary Wangari of Ritsumeikan AP University won a slow women's 5000 m over Ritsumeikan University teammates Kazue Kojima and Risa Takenaka. Ritsumeikan likewise came out on top in the 10000 m with Michi Numata's easy victory over Juntendo University's Eriko Noguchi, but couldn't manage to take the 1500 m as Nihon University Kenyan Ann Kingori won by more than three seconds over Ritsumeikan's Hanae Tanaka.

For complete results including sprints, middle distances, relays and field events, click here.

Distance event results:

Men's 5000 m - Sept. 14
1. Daniel Gitau, Nihon Univ.: 13:32.88
2. Mekubo Mogusu, Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.: 13:42.54
3. Yuta Takahashi, Josai Univ.: 13:50.96
4. Hiroyuki Ono, Juntendo Univ.: 13:51.28
5. Yuki Sato, Tokai Univ.: 13:51.52
6. Cosmas Ondiba, Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.: 13:52.39
7. Tomoya Onishi, Toyo Univ.: 13:52.44
8. Kibet Kipngeno, Daiichi Kogyo Univ.: 13:53.14
9. Samuel Ganga, Hiroshima Univ. of Economics: 13:56.46
10. Ryota Yoshida, Nihon Bunri Univ.: 14:04.52

Men's 10000 m - Sept. 12
1. Daniel Gitau, Nihon Univ.: 28:03.96
2. Mekubo Mogusu, Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.: 28:10.39
3. Samuel Ganga, Hiroshima Univ. of Economics: 29:10.83
4. Yudai Matsumoto, Meiji Univ.: 29:11.09
5. Ryota Yoshida, Nihon Bunri Univ.: 29:14.26
6. Norimasa Yoshida, Tokai Univ.: 29:24.98
7. Ryohei Nakano, Daiichi Kogyo Univ.: 29:29.18
8. Masaki Ito, Kokushikan Univ.: 29:47.43
9. Kazuyuki Ito, Josai Univ.: 29:47.86
10. Hirotaka Nakamura, Rikkyo Univ.: 30:25.44

Women's 5000 m - Sept. 14
1. Mary Wangari, Ritsumeikan AP Univ.: 15:56.33
2. Kazue Kojima, Ritsumeikan Univ.: 15:57.29
3. Risa Takenaka, Ritsumeikan Univ.: 15:59.00
4. Eriko Noguchi, Juntendo Univ.: 15:59.49
5. Kasumi Nishihara, Bukkyo Univ.: 16:02.55
6. Ann Kingori, Nihon Univ.: 16:02.88
7. Natsuko Goto, Nihon Univ.: 16:05.81
8. Sakie Ishibashi, Waseda Univ.: 16:07.57
8. Akiko Matsuyama, Kansai Univ.: 16:07.57
10. Hikari Yoshimoto, Bukkyo Univ.: 16:09.67

Women's 10000 m - Sept. 12
1. Michi Numata, Ritsumeikan Univ.: 33:22.58
2. Eriko Noguchi, Juntendo Univ.: 33:28.33
3. Chizuru Ideta, Bukkyo Univ.: 33:56.88
4. Yuko Mizuguchi, Mie Univ.: 34:04.23
5. Ami Nishio, Chuo Univ.: 34:12.93
6. Sayo Nomura, Meijo Univ.: 34:14.92
7. Mariko Sase, Tokyo Nogyo Univ.: 34:24.47
8. Tsuyuki Fukuyama, Juntendo Univ.: 34:26.62
9. Sachiko Kokusen, Matsuyama Univ.: 34:28.26
10. Chisa Fujimoto, Tsukuba Univ.: 34:43.70

(c) 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

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