Kanemaru Takes Gold at World University Games

by Brett Larner

Yuzo Kanemaru wins the men's 400 m at the 2009 World University Games. Click photo for larger version.

What's in a name? Five-time 400 m national champion Yuzo Kanemaru (Hosei Univ.) scored his first world-level title at the 2009 World University Games on July 9th. Kanemaru, whose name can be translated as 'gold circle,' won his heat in each round before taking the final in 45.68, half a second ahead of Austrian Clemens Zeller and Canadian Daniel Harper. In a post-race interview Kanemaru said, "Winning here was the least of my goals, but I'm still feeling it. I don't need any silver or bronze. To me if it isn't gold it doesn't mean anything. This win opens the door to Worlds." Kanemaru will run the 400 m at next month's World Championships in Berlin and hopes to achieve his goal of a sub-45 clocking this season.

Hurdler Kazuaki Yoshida turned in another solid run in the men's 400 m hurdles, finishing 2nd in the semifinal in 50.24. Teammates Mitsuhiko Abiko and Hitoshi Saito (Tsukuba Univ.) got off to a good start in the men's 200 m, Abiko running the 4th-fastest time in the first round of heats and Saito winning his heat. Both likewise advanced through the second round, but Abiko showed signs of the the apparent damage he suffered at last month's National Championships as he finished 5th in his second round heat, just squeezing into the semifinal in the last time-based slot.

2009 World University Games - Top Finishers
click event headers for complete results
Men's 400 m - Final
1. Yuzo Kanemaru (Hosei Univ.) - 45.68
2. Clemens Zeller (Austria) - 46.12
3. Daniel Harper (Canada) - 46.22 - PB

Men's 400 m Hurdles - Semi-Finals
1. Tristan Thomas (Australia) - 50.11
2. Kazuaki Yoshida (Japan) - 50.24
3. Michael Bultheel (Belgium) - 50.46

Men's 200 m - First Round Heats
1. Seoud Amr Ibrahim (Egypt) - 20.79
2. Gavin Smellie (Canada) - 20.92
3. Sam Effah (Canada) - 20.96
4. Mitsuhiro Abiko (Tsukuba Univ.) - 21.16
-----
20. Hitoshi Saito (Tsukuba Univ.) - 21.46

Men's 200 m - Second Round Heats
1. Seoud Amr Ibrahim (Egypt) - 20.73
2. Gavin Smellie (Canada) - 20.75
3. Ramil Guliyev (Azerbaijan) - 20.87
-----
9. Hitoshi Saitoh (Tsukuba Univ.) - 21.06
15. Mitsuhiro Abiko (Tsukuba Univ.) - 21.27

Men's 20 km Walk
1. Sergey Bakulin (Russia) - 1:20:52 - MR
2. Andrey Ruzavin (Russia) - 1:21:08
3. Moacir Zimmermann (Brazil) - 1:21:35
-----
6. Isamu Fujisawa (Japan) - 1:22:12
13. Yusuke Suzuki (Japan) - 1:25:08

Men's High Jump - Final
1. Eduard Malchenko (Russia) - 2.23
2. Michael Mason (Canada) - 2.23
3. Ivan Ilichev (Russia) - 2.20
-----
5. Hiromi Takahari (Japan) - 2.20

Men's Pole Vault - Qualifying Round
1. Konstantinos Filippidis (Greece) - 5.20
2. Alexander Gripich (Russia) - 5.20
3. Tobias Scherbarth (Germany) - 5.20
-----
9. Takafumi Suzuki (Japan) - 5.20
DNS - Hiroki Ogita (Japan)

(c) 2009 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...

Shikama and Njeri Win Sendai International Half Marathon

Shunsuke Shikama (Logisteed) and Tabitha Njeri Kamau (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) won the Sendai International Half Marathon Sunday in Sendai, Shikama in 1:01:31 and Njeri in 1:09:20. Mizuki Nishimura (Tenmaya) was the top Japanese woman at 2nd overall. The men's race went through 5 km in 14:34 and 10 km in 29:22. Shikama ran alongside top competition including Shoki Yamaguchi (Soka Univ.), who has been running well in half marathons this season, and Tokyo World Championships marathon team member Naoki Koyama (Honda). On a course with many small ups and downs, Shikama attacked on a downhill just after 15 km, quickly breaking free of the lead group of 7. 13 seconds up by 20 km, Shikama covered the last 1.0975 km in 3:06 to seal his first Sendai title. A graduate of Juntendo University , Shikama is in his 4th season with Logisteed. At the 2024 National Corporate Half Marathon he ran 1:00:41, and at last year's East Japan Corporate Ekiden he won the Third Stage. In his marathon d...

japan running news

Search This Blog