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National Corporate Track and Field Championships Kick Off Friday in Kumagaya

http://www.saitama-np.co.jp/news/2013/09/19/07.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Held in Saitama for the first time, the 61st National Corporate Track and Field Championships get underway Friday, Sept. 20 at Kumagaya Sports Park Field bringing three days of hot action featuring many of the country's best athletes direct to local fans. The opening ceremonies will be on the 21st, but the meet actually gets underway on the 20th with the men's and women's 10000 m races, the main action following over the next two days.

Athletes scheduled to appear on the 21st include Moscow World Championships marathon bronze medalist Kayoko Fukushi (Team Wacoal) and 4x100 m relay finalist Kenji Fujimitsu (Team Zenrin), a graduate of Saitama's Urawa H.S.  Fujimitsu is scheduled to double in the 100 m and 200 m, with his fellow Urawa graduate Yuji Ohashi (Mizuno) entered in the men's 110 m hurdles.  Among other Saitama athletes, having competed on three national teams including at the London Oympics and in Moscow, Seibu Gakuen Bunri H.S. graduate Kumi Otoshi (Team Fujitsu) will compete in the women's 10000 m race walk in her final race before retiring.  Saitama Sakae H.S. graduate Momoko Takahashi (Team Fujitsu) is entered in both the women's 100 m and 200 m.

Translator's note: Complete entry lists are available here.  Other noteworthy athletes scheduled to compete include Leonard Barsoton (Kenya/Team Nissin Shokuhin), Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko), Bitan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA RC), Yuriko Kobayashi (Team Toyota Jidoshokki), Clement Langat (Kenya/Team Subaru), Kentaro Nakamoto (Team Yasukawa Denki), Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin) and Paul Tanui (Kenya/Team Kyudenko).

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