Women's 5000 m World Leader for Chepyego at Kanaguri Memorial

by Brett Larner

The Japanese outdoor track season began in earnest Apr. 9 with the first of the season's major meets, the Kanaguri Memorial Track Meet in Kumamoto. Locally-based Kenyan Sally Chepyego (Team Kyudenko) had the biggest result of the day with a world-leading 15:18.70 to win the women's 5000 m after dueling with fellow Kenyan Ann Karindi (Team Toyota Jidoshoki). 10000 m junior national record holder Megumi Kinukawa (Team Mizuno) was 3rd in 15:51.33, holding off former Tamagawa University ace Tomomi Tanaka (Team Daiichi Seimei) in Tanaka's pro debut. Tanaka's teammate, the unknown Kaho Tanaka (Team Daiichi Seimei), was almost as strong in the 5000 m B-heat, running 15:56.03 for the win.

Titus Waroru, Takuya Ishikawa and Daniel Gitau in the men's 5000 m. Click here to enlarge photo.

In the men's 5000 m, Kenyans took the top five spots with Edward Waweru (Team NTN) coming in a step ahead of 10000 m Japanese all-comers' record holder Josephat Ndambiri (Team Komori Corp.) in 13:21.37. Former Meiji University captain Takuya Ishikawa (Team Chugoku Denryoku) was the top Japanese finisher, 6th overall in a solid PB of 13:35.38. High school sensation Kenta Murayama (Komazawa Univ.) had a credible university debut, two seconds off his PB in 13:51.62, while 2011 World Championships marathon team members Yoshinori Oda (Team Toyota) and Hiroyuki Horibata (Team Asahi Kasei) both went under 14 minutes.

2011 Kanaguri Memorial Track Meet Top Results

click here for complete results

Women's 5000 m Heat Two

1. Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) - 15:18.70

2. Ann Karindi (Kenya/Toyota Jidoshoki) - 15:41.35

3. Megumi Kinukawa (Team Mizuno) - 15:51.33

4. Tomomi Tanaka (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 15:52.77

5. Seika Nishikawa (Team Sysmex) - 16:00.24

6. Hiroko Miyauchi (Team Kyocera) - 16:00.51

7. Nanae Kuwashiro (Team Sysmex) - 16:03.39

8. Yukie Nagata (Team Toyota Jidoshoki) - 16:16.43

9. Chieko Kido (Canon AC Kyushu) - 16:19.06

10. Misaki Kato (Team Kyudenko) - 16:19.48

Women's 5000 m Heat One

1. Kaho Tanaka (Team Daiichi Seimei) - 15:56.03

2. Misato Tanaka (Team Sysmex) - 16:04.11

3. Maki Suzawa (Team Yamada Denki) - 16:12.02

4. Megumi Seike (Team Sysmex) - 16:13.25

5. Rina Hidaki (Fukuoka Univ.) - 16:15.88

Men's 5000 m Heat Three

1. Edward Waweru (Kenya/Team NTN) - 13:21.37

2. Josephat Ndambiri (Kenya/Team Komori Corp.) - 13:21.76

3. Patrick Mwaka (Kenya/Team Aisan Kogyo) - 13:26.29

4. Daniel Gitau (Kenya/Team Fujitsu) - 13:34.12

5. Titus Waroru (Kenya/Chinzai H.S.) - 13:34.89

6. Takuya Ishikawa (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 13:35.38

7. John Maina (Kenya/Takushoku Univ.) - 13:37.09

8. Tsuyoshi Ugachi (Team Konica Minolta) - 13:43.10

9. Ikuto Yufu (Komazawa Univ.) - 13:44.60

10. Kenta Murotsuka (SDF Academy) - 13:45.72

11. Alex Mwangi (Kenya/Team YKK) - 13:45.81

12. Yoshinori Oda (Team Toyota) - 13:51.08

13. Kenta Murayama (Komazawa Univ.) - 13:51.62

14. Suguru Osako (Waseda Univ.) - 13:54.64

15. Yoshikazu Kawazoe (Team Asahi Kasei) - 13:56.71

16. Ryuji Kashiwabara (Toyo Univ.) - 13:58.00

17. Hiroyuki Horibata (Team Asahi Kasei) - 13:59.76

18. Duncan Muthee (Kenya/Takushoku Univ.) - 14:08.95

19. Taku Fujimoto (Kokushikan Univ.) - 14:09.46

Men's 5000 m Heat Two

1. Hiroyuki Ogawa (Team Yachiyo Kogyo) - 13:56.03

2. Yasuhiro Tago (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 13:59.78

3. Satoshi Kubooka (Team JFE Steel) - 13:59.93

4. Tomoaki Bungo (Team Asahi Kasei) - 14:01.71

5. Takasi Ichida (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 14:02.37

Men's 5000 m Heat One

1. Takuji Morimoto (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 14:04.31

2. Shinji Ando (Team Togami Denki) - 14:05.56

3. Ryosuke Maki (Team Osaka Gas) - 14:05.85

4. Satoshi Osaki (Team NTT Nishi Nihon) - 14:06.38

5. Naohiro Yamada (Team YKK) - 14:07.56

High School Girls' 3000 m Heat Four

1. Misuzu Nakahara (Kamimura Gakuen H.S.) - 9:21.68

2. Shoko Sonoda (Chikushi Joshi Gakuen H.S.) - 9:22.22

3. Ayano Ikeuchi (Ritsumeikan Uji H.S.) - 9:22.45

4. Nanako Kanno (Ritsumeikan Uji H.S.) - 9:24.01

5. Mio Chijiiwa (Chiharadai H.S.) - 9:26.92

Keita Sato Joins Swoosh TC

After appearing at a Nike event on Apr. 3, U20 1500 m NR and indoor 3000 m and 5000 m NR holder Keita Sato , 22, updated his Instagram profile to announce that he is joining Nike's Swoosh TC . At the Nike event Sato said that he plans to run the 1500 m at the Apr. 11 Kanaguri Memorial Meet, then will move to the U.S. "To be successful at the global level I need to train and grow alongside world-class athletes," he said. "I have to take every day seriously in order to achieve that dream of being internationally competitive." Swoosh TC was founded last year. Its coach Mike Smith has guided many athletes to international championships, including prior to Swoosh TC's launch, with some earning medals and podium finishes under his leadership. photo © 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved source article: https://www.rikujyokyogi.co.jp/archives/204241/2 translated by Brett Larner

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April 1 is the start of Japan's new academic and fiscal year, and there's always a wave of transfer announcements to go with it. Some notable ones yesterday: 800 m NR holder Rin Kubo skipped university to go straight to 2023 Queens Ekiden national champion Sekisui Kagaku after her graduation from Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S. Multiple NR holder Nozomi Tanaka rejoined the Toyota Jidoshokki women's team after having left it to pursue a solo pro career as a New Balance athlete. Already on the team for this fall's Nagoya Asian Games in the 10000 m, Ririka Hironaka announced a switch from her longtime home at Japan Post to the Uniqlo women's team. Collegiate marathon record holder Asahi Kuroda joined the 2026 national champion GMO corporate team after graduating from 2026 Hakone Ekiden champ Aoyama Gakuin University last week. Hakone Ekdien First Stage CR holder Rui Aoki joins the Sumitomo Denko corporate team after running his final race for 2025 Izumo Ekiden w...

Chien Breaks TPE NR, Iwata Betters ID-Class WR - Weekend Track Roundup

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