Shibui Runs Again as Daiichi Seimei and Honda Take East Japan Corporate Ekiden

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2010110300284
http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/f-sp-tp0-20101103-697806.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

The 21st Women's and 51st Men's East Japan Jitsugyodan Ekiden Championships, the regional qualifiers for the year-end National Ekiden Championships, took place Nov. 3 in Saitama prefecture. Led by 2009 World Championships marathon silver medalist Yoshimi Ozaki, Team Daiichi Seimei took its first win in the women's race with a time of 2:18:46 for the six-stage, 42.195 km course. The top thirteen teams qualified for the Dec. 19 national championships in Gifu. Team Panasonic placed 2nd, while defending champion Team Toyota Jidoshoki could do no better than 9th.

Former nine-time champion Team Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo was 6th. Leading them for the first time in a year was 10000 m national record holder Yoko Shibui, who placed 3rd on the anchor stage. After nearly two years of injury setbacks Shibui told reporters, "That felt good. I'm starting to get the desire to run back." Shibui said she had put on as much as 10 kg during her layoff over the last year.

The men's race featured a seven-stage, 77.5 km course. Team Honda returned to the top, winning its fourth East Japan title with a win in 3:50:57. Team Kanebo was 2nd, while defending champion Team Nissin Shokuhin was 4th. The top fourteen teams qualified for the New Year Ekiden national championship.

2010 East Japan Jitsugyodan Ekiden Championships
Men
click here for complete results
Stage Best Performances
First Stage (11.6 km) - Tomoyuki Morita (Team Kanebo) - 35:47
Second Stage (15.3 km) - Tsuyoshi Ugachi (Team Konica Minolta) - 44:49
Third Stage (9.2 km) - Ibrahim Jelian (Ethiopia/Team Honda) - 25:52
Fourth Stage (9.9 km) - Satoru Kitamura (Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 30:04
Fifth Stage (7.4 km) - Daisuke Shimizu (Team Kanebo) - 22:06
Sixth Stage (10.6 km) - Daisuke Matsufuji (Team Kanebo) - 30:01
Seventh Stage (13.5 km) - Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 40:03

Top Team Performances - 77.5 km
1. Honda - 3:50:57
2. Kanebo - 3:51:37
3. Konica Minolta - 3:51:48
4. Nissin Shokuhin - 3:52:19
5. Fujitsu - 3:53:50

Women
click here for complete results
Stage Best Performances
First Stage (6.795 km) - Misaki Katsumata (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 21:13
Second Stage (3.1 km) - Felista Wanjugu (Kenya/Team Universal Ent.) - 9:44
Third Stage (12.2 km) - Mika Yoshikawa (Team Panasonic) - 39:46
Fourth Stage (3.8 km) - Doricah Obare (Kenya/Team Hitachi) - 11:59
Fifth Stage (10.0 km) - Hitomi Nakamura (Team Panasonic) - 33:52
Sixth Stage (6.3 km) - Tomomi Tanaka (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 21:09

Top Team Results - 42.195 km
1. Daiichi Seimei - 2:18:46
2. Panasonic - 2:19:19
3. Universal Entertainment - 2:19:21
4. Hokuren - 2:20:10
5. Starts - 2:20:41

Matsumoto Marathon Canceled After Fraudulently Hiding Past Financial Losses

On Apr. 23 the city government of Matsumoto, Nagano announced that it was canceling this fall's Matsumoto Marathon after discovering accounting fraud in the event's operation. "We are going to conduct a review of how the race has been conducted up to now," a statement from the city read. Mayor Yoshinao Gaun apologized at a press conference, saying, "We sincerely apologize for letting down everyone involved in putting the event together." The Matsumoto Marathon is run by an executive committee made up of representatives from the city, the Matsumoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Shinano Mainichi Newspaper, and the relevant track and field associations. According to city officials, financial records for the November, 2023 edition of the race were fraudulently manipulated. Income from participants' entry fees was lower than expected, and although the city managed to get the Shinano Mainichi, to which it had outsourced overall event management, to r...

Australian Male Arrested on Drug Smuggling Charges After Entering Japan for Osaka Marathon

On Apr. 9 the Kinki Region Bureau of Health, Labor and Welfare's Drug Control Division arrested Matthew Inglis Fox , 38, an Australian business owner of no known fixed address, on charges of violating the importation regulations of the Narcotics Control Act by smuggling tablets containing marijuana elements from the United States. The suspect had entered Japan in February to run in the Osaka Marathon . The suspect was arrested on suspicion of smuggling approximately 12 pills containing marijuana by sending them from a U.S. airport to Osaka's Kansai Airport using an international courier service on Feb. 19. The Osaka branch of the Customs Service discovered the tablets in arriving cargo and suspected them to be narcotics. Customs contacted the Narcotics Control Division, which then began its investigation of the case. According to the Narcotics Control Division, the suspect denies the charges. Translator's note: Fox, who received a lifetime ban from the Ageo City Half Mara...

Nyiva and Wolde Win Gifu Seiryu Half

Two good races happened Sunday at the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon . The women's race was a head-to-head race between 2022 marathon world champion Gotytom Gebreslase and debuting Japan-based Janet Nyiva . Side-by-side through 15 km, Nyiva shattered Gebreslase with a massive surge over the last 5 km that ultimately put 52 second between them, Nyiva wining in 1:07:37 and Gebreslase next in 1:08:29. 2023 Asian marathon champion Eunice Chebichii Chumba held off the up-and-coming Kana Kobayashi , a member of Japan's marathon team for September's Tokyo World Championships, with a 1:09:07 for 3rd. Kobayashi's 1:09:09 for 4th was a PB by almost 5 minutes and the fastest time ever on the rolling Gifu course by a Japanese woman. Yumi Yoshikawa was 5th in 1:10:51. Five men went out front on mid-59 pace. Dawit Wolde , debuting Kiprono Sitonik , Vincent Yegon and veteran Bedan Karoki all took turns leading, with only Richard Kimunyan tucking in and declining to share the load. ...

japan running news

Search This Blog