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Fujinaga Wins Japan Invitational 3000 m

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2009041900184

translated and edited by Brett Larner

2009 World Championships women's marathon team member Yoshiko Fujinaga (Team Shiseido) ran the 3000 m at the weekend's Japan Invitational Track and Field Meet, winning the distance for the first time. Asked about her time of 9:18, Fujinaga laughed, "I'm still not fast enough." Fujinaga won March's Nagoya International Women's Marathon, her debut at the full marathon. This weekend's 3000 m was her first race since then. Leading up to the World Championships marathon Fujinaga plans to run in the Hyogo Relay Carnival next weekend, followed by the 10000 m at next month's National Track and Field Championships. "Berlin is going to be fast," she told reporters. "To be honest I think I'm fifth on [The Japanese women's marathon] team, so I have to work on my speed before then."

In other domestic weekend track action:

-Naoyuki Daigo (Team Fujitsu) set a meet record of 2 m 28 in the men's high jump at the Japan Invitational, clearing the World Championships B-standard.

-Yukifumi Murakami (Team Suzuki) likewise set a meet record of 80 m 10 in the men's Javelin at the Japan Invitational and cleared the World Championships B-standard.

-Satomi Kubokura (Team Niigata Albirex), a Beijing Olympian in the women's 400 mH, set an Asian record of 37.80 in the women's 300 m at the Izumo Track and Field Meet.

-Men's 300 m national record holder Yuzo Kanemaru (Hosei Univ.) missed breaking his own record by 0.03, clocking 32.29 at the Izumo Track and Field Meet.

-Beijing Olympics 4x100 m relay bronze medalist Naoki Tsukahara (Team Fujitsu) opened his season with 10.24 to win the men's 100 m at the Izumo Track and Field Meet.

Complete results from the Japan Invitational Track and Field Meet are available here.
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