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Onogawa and Takamatsu Take Gold at 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics - Day Five and Six Japanese Results

by Brett Larner

Following up on Sunday's double silver medal haul, girls' 3000 m favorite Nozomi Musembi Takamatsu and 10000 m race walk entrant Minoru Onogawa delivered PB performances to bring Japan a pair of gold medals on the fifth day of athletics competition at the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics.

#1-seeded Takamatsu, 4th at the Eugene World Junior Championships in a then-PB 9:02.85, showed the wisdom of her conservative opener by outclassing the crowd of Africans who PBd in the qualifying round.  Sitting on #2 seed Alina Reh (Germany) through 2000 m, Takamatsu dropped a 2:55 final 1000 m to take over a second off her best and score gold in 9:01.58, almost four seconds better than Reh's silver medal-winning time.  Berhan Demiesa Asgedom (Ethiopia), who PBd in the qualifying round, ran another PB of 9:06.10 to pick up the bronze medal.

In the boys' 10000 m race walk, Onogawa likewise sat on Noel Ali Chama Almazan (Mexico), twice taking the lead before breaking away for good at 9000 m.  Onogawa's time of 42:03.64 was a sizeable PB, his last surge putting him well clear for gold by seven seconds over Russian Vladislav Saraikin.  Almazan held on to bronze another four seconds back in 42:14.11.

The day's sole low point came in the boys' 200 m, where Jun Yamashita, 3rd at this year's National High School Championships, faltered in his quest for a sub-21 clocking and finished 6th in the A final in 21.62 (+0.3). In the last individual event A final for the Japanese contingent, Nagisa Mori delivered a surprise in the girls' javelin throw.  Only 5th at the National High School Track and Field Championships earlier this month, Mori threw a PB 52.27 m to take the bronze medal, the latest addition to the ongoing Japanese javelin renaissance.  With five of the thirteen athletes on the team winning medals, two gold, two silver and one bronze, the second edition of the Youth Olympics wound up on a high note for Japanese fans.

2014 Youth Olympics Day Five and Six
Nanjing, China, Aug. 24-25, 2014
click here for complete results

Women's 3000 m A Final
1. Nozomi Musembi Takamatsu (Japan) - 9:01.58 - PB
2. Alina Reh (Germany) - 9:05.07
3. Berhan Demiesa Asgedom (Ethiopia) - 9:06.10 - PB
4. Fatuma Chebsi (Bahrain) - 9:12.66
5. Cavaline Nahimana (Burundi) - 9:14.45
6. Jackline Chepkoech (Kenya) - 9:20.43
7. Janat Chemusto (Uganda) - 9:22.42
8. Behafeta Abreha (Azerbaijan) - 9:22.60
9. Maria Magdalena Ifteni (Romania) - 9:29.53
10. Gebrekrstos Weldeghabr (Eritrea) - 9:30.65 - PB

Men's 200 m A Final +0.3
1. Noah Lyles (U.S.A.) - 20.80
2. Baboloki Thebe (Botsawa) - 21.20
3. Chun-Han Yang (Taiwan) - 21.31
4. Akanni Hislop (Trinidad and Tobago) - 21.57
5. Brian Kasinda (Zambia) - 21.61
6. Jun Yamashita (Japan) - 21.62
DQ - Chad Walker (Jamaica)

Men's 10000 m Race Walk
1. Minoru Onogawa (Japan) - 42:03.64 - PB
2. Vladislav Saraikin (Russia) - 42:10.95 - PB
3. Noel Ali Chama Almazan (Mexico) - 42:14.11
4. Cesar Rodriguez (Peru) - 42:26.49
5. Heyonmyeong Joo (South Korea) - 43:51.89 - PB

Women's Javelin Throw A Final
1. Hanna Tarasiuk (Belarus) - 59.92 m - PB
2. Fabienne Schonig (Germany) - 53.68 m
3. Nagisa Mori (Japan) - 52.27 m - PB
4. Laine Donane (Latvia) - 51.90 m
5. Aleksandra M. Ostrowska (Poland) - 51.79 m

(c) 2014 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

Comments

Anonymous said…
Great to see Takamatsu taking gold. I first watched her run in the 2012 National Women's Ekiden
Championship (thanks Brett for the coverage) and was impressed by the ease of her running style. Wishing her a bright future for Japan.

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