by Brett Larner
videos by naoki620
Hosei University's Hachioji Long Distance meet has quickly risen to become one of the world's most competitive 10000 m events, its late November date out of season by most of the world's standards but a perfect tuneup for national championship ekiden season in Japan and a chance to knock out qualifying standards for whatever international championships come the next year. Last year's meet was highlit by a double national records, teammates Kota Murayama and Tetsuya Yoroizaka of the Asahi Kasei powerhouse team both clearing 27:30 in a thrilling photo finish. Murayama returns this year as the top placer from last year, winner William Malel (Team Honda) serving as pacer in the B-heat and runner-up Johana Maina (Team Fujitsu) having passed away unexpectedly earlier this year back home in Kenya.
With seven heats gradated from sub-29 to sub-27:45 on the program Kenyans James Mwangi (Team NTN) and Rodgers Chumo Kwemoi (Team Aisan Kogyo) and Ethiopian Mamiyo Nigussie (Team Yasukawa Denki) make up the top three spots on the entry list in the A-heat, which features four men under 27:30 in the last three years, ten men under 27:45, and eighteen men under 28:00. And that's not including the debuting 1500 m world junior record holder Ronald Kwemoi (Team Komori Corp.) or sub-27 pacer Bedan Karoki (DeNA RC). Murayama's strongest domestic competition comes from his twin brother Kenta Murayama (Team Asahi Kasei), who told JRN that breaking Kota's 27:29.69 is his #1 priority for 2016 after having missed the Rio Olympics with injury. Another set of twins, Yuta Shitara (Team Honda) and Keita Shitara (Team Konica Minolta), along with half of yet another set, Takashi Ichida (Team Asahi Kasei), all likewise feature prominently among the sub-28 set. The world record for most men sub-28 in a single race, twenty, could well be under threat.
The B-heat is also solid, with Malel set to take a couple dozen men out on track to break 28. And that's not even the only race the same day at that level. Across town at Keio University, the Kanto Region University Time Trials meet features twelve men's 10000 m and two women's 10000 m heats, and its men's A-heat will also see some of Japan's best collegiate runners going for sub-28. Izumo Ekiden and National University Ekiden champion Aoyama Gakuin University is well on the way to completing the triple crown with a win at January's Hakone Ekiden. Last year Aoyama Gakuin put eight men sub-29 in one race at the Kanto meet. This year they're looking to go one better and score a sub-28 via star senior Tadashi Isshiki, but with seven of its best men in the A-heat it could come close to last year's incredible results. And it's not alone. Tokai University is locked in an arms race for depth at quality with Aoyama Gakuin, and many of its best, notably star first-year Ryoji Tatezawa, will be lining up in the same race. Likewise for Izumo and Nationals rival Yamanashi Gakuin University, which fields three of its best men led by senior Takaya Sato.
The Kanto meet also features women's races, and the 10000 m A-heat is packed with members of 2016 National University Women's Ekiden champion Matsuyama University. The women will be targeting 32:25, and Matsuyama senior Ayumi Uehara comes closest with a 32:36.25 best. Look for competition from her teammate Anna Matsuda and rivals Yuri Karasawa (Nittai Univ.), Saki Fukuro (Josai Univ.), Nanako Kanno (Ritsumeikan Univ.) and very promising first-year Natsuki Sekiya (Daito Bunka Univ.).
Hachioji Long Distance Entry List Highlights
Hosei Univ., Hachiojji, Tokyo, 11/26/16
click here for complete entry lists
times listed are best in last three years except where noted
Men's 10000 m A-Heat - sub-27:45
pacer - Bedan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA RC) - 26:52.36 (Eugene 2014)
James Mwangi (Kenya/NTN) - 27:23.04 (Kobe 2016)
Mamiyo Nigusse (Ethiopia/Yasukawa Denki) - 27:24.85 (Kobe 2016)
Rodgers Chumo Kwemoi (Kenya/Aisan Kogyo) - 27:25.23 (Bydgoszcz 2016)
Kota Murayama (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 27:29.69 (Hachioji 2015)
Bernard Kimanyi (Kenya/Yakult) - 27:36.60 (Hachioji 2014)
Patrick Muendo Mwaka (Kenya/Aisan Kogyo) - 27:37.67 (Yamaguchi 2014)
Teressa Nyakora (Ethiopia/Mazda) - 27:38.93 (Hachioji 2015)
Kassa Mekashaw (Ethiopia/Yachiyo Kogyo) - 27:38.93 (Hachioji 2014)
Kenta Murayama (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 27:39.95 (Nobeoka 2015)
Yuta Shitara (Japan/Honda) - 27:42.71 (Nobeoka 2015)
Shuho Dairokuno (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 27:46.55 (Hachioji 2015)
Alexander Mutiso (Kenya/ND Software) - 27:47.20 (Kobe 2016)
Samuel Mwangi (Kenya/Konica Minolta) - 27:50.92 (Hachioji 2015)
Daniel Kipkemoi (Kenya/Nishitetsu) - 27:53.19 (Gifu 2015)
Takashi Ichida (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 27:53.59 (Abashiri 2016)
Patrick Mathenge Wambui (Kenya/Nihon Univ.) - 27:54.98 (Abashiri 2015)
Keita Shitara (Japan/Konica Minolta) - 27:56.60 (Hachioji 2014)
Mitsunori Asaoka (Japan/Hitachi Butsuryu) - 27:59.72 (Abashiri 2016)
Cyrus Kingori (Kenya/SGH Group) - 28:01.76 (Kobe 2016)
Simon Kariuki (Kenya/Nihon Yakka Univ.) - 28:03.65 (Abashiri 2016)
Minato Oishi (Japan/Toyota) - 28:04.65 (Abashiri 2015)
Shogo Nakamura (Japan/Fujitsu) - 28:09.86 (Abashiri 2015)
Chris Derrick (U.S.A./Nike) - 28:18.18 (Sacramento 2014)
Andrew Bumbalough (U.S.A./Nike) - 27:56.78 (Stanford, June 2013) (no mark in last three years)
Debut
Ronald Kwemoi (Kenya/Komori Corp.) - 13:16.14 (Nobeoka 2015)
Alfred Ngeno (Kenya/Nissin Shokuhin) - 13:19.38 (Yokohama 2016)
Men's 10000 m B-Heat - sub-28:00
pacer - William Malel (Kenya/Honda) - 26:54.66 (Eugene 2016)
Kensuke Takezawa (Japan/Sumitomo Denko) - 28:02.70 (Hachioji 2015)
Daniel Muiva Kitonyi (Japan/Kanebo) - 28:02.79 (Yokohama 2013)
Masato Kikuchi (Japan/Konica Minolta) - 28:04.25 (Hachioji 2014)
Tsubasa Hayakawa (Japan/Toyota) - 28:06.10 (Hachioji 2015)
Shun Inoura (Japan/Yachiyo Kogyo) - 28:14.20 (Abashiri 2016)
Ryo Matsumoto (Japan/Toyota) - 28:15.42 (Tajima 2016)
Naohiro Domoto (Japan/JR Higashi Nihon) - 28:18.81 (Hachioji 2015)
Chiharu Nakagawa (Japan/Toenec) - 28:19.46 (Hachioji 2015)
Keigo Yano (Japan/Nissin Shokuhin) - 28:21.89 (Hachioji 2015)
Naoki Kudo (Japan/Komazawa Univ.) - 28:23.85 (Yokohama 2015)
Naoki Aiba (Japan/Chudenko) - 28:26.96 (Hachioji 2015)
Masaki Toda (Japan/Nissin Shokuhin) - 28:28.27 (Hachioji 2015)
Hironori Tsuetaki (Japan/Fujitsu) - 28:31.84 (Hiyoshi 2015)
David Njuguna (Kenya/Yakult) - 28:35.03 (Hachioji 2015)
Hideto Yamanaka (Japan/Honda) - 28:54.33 (Yokohama 2015)
Hazuma Hattori (Japan/Toyo Univ.) - 28:55.31 (Saitama 2014)
Kanto Region University Time Trials Entry List Highlights
Keio University, Hiyoshi, Kanagawa, 11/26/16
click here for complete entry lists
Men's 10000 m A-Heat - 28:30 - 28:00
Tadashi Isshiki (4th yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 28:23.40
Takaya Sato (4th yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:26.70
Yuta Shimoda (3rd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 28:33.77
Titus Mumo Wambua (1st yr., Musashino Gakuin Univ.) - 28:36.32
Workneh Derese (2nd yr., Takushoku Univ.) - 28:43.21
Kazuki Tamura (3rd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 28:46.81
Kenta Ueda (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:48.92
Hayato Ozawa (4th yr., Senshu Univ.) - 28:55.11
Ryutaro Ichitani (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:55.14
Gen Hachisuka (4th yr., Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 28:55.95
Ryoji Tatezawa (1st yr., Tokai Univ.) - 13:48.89
Ryusei Yoshinaga (3rd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 13:49.83
Yuya Ando (4th yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 13:51.66
Takato Suzuki (1st yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 13:53.20
Ryota Motegi (4th yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 13:53.46
Shuto Mikai (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 13:55.08
Ryunosuke Hayashi (4th yr., Tokai Univ.) - 13:56.69
Reo Kuniyuki (3rd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 13:59.14
Women's 10000 m A-Heat - sub-32:25
Ayumi Uehara (4th yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 32:36.25
Yuri Karasawa (3rd yr., Nittai Univ.) - 32:40.81
Saki Fukuro (3rd yr., Josai Univ.) - 32:45.47
Anna Matsuda (4th yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 32:54.41
Nanako Kanno (4th yr., Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 32:55.97
Kanade Furuya (2nd yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 32:56.78
Natsuki Sekiya (1st yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) - 15:33.96
Honoka Yuzawa (4th yr., Meijo Univ.) - 15:44.72
Misuzu Nakahara (4th yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 15:48.16
Misaki Ogata (2nd yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 15:49.26
Akane Fujiwara (2nd yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 15:56.72
Hitomi Mizuguchi (2nd yr., Osaka Gakuin Univ.) - 15:57.73
Kanna Tamaki (2nd yr., Meijo Univ.) - 15:58.83
© 2016 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
videos by naoki620
Hosei University's Hachioji Long Distance meet has quickly risen to become one of the world's most competitive 10000 m events, its late November date out of season by most of the world's standards but a perfect tuneup for national championship ekiden season in Japan and a chance to knock out qualifying standards for whatever international championships come the next year. Last year's meet was highlit by a double national records, teammates Kota Murayama and Tetsuya Yoroizaka of the Asahi Kasei powerhouse team both clearing 27:30 in a thrilling photo finish. Murayama returns this year as the top placer from last year, winner William Malel (Team Honda) serving as pacer in the B-heat and runner-up Johana Maina (Team Fujitsu) having passed away unexpectedly earlier this year back home in Kenya.
With seven heats gradated from sub-29 to sub-27:45 on the program Kenyans James Mwangi (Team NTN) and Rodgers Chumo Kwemoi (Team Aisan Kogyo) and Ethiopian Mamiyo Nigussie (Team Yasukawa Denki) make up the top three spots on the entry list in the A-heat, which features four men under 27:30 in the last three years, ten men under 27:45, and eighteen men under 28:00. And that's not including the debuting 1500 m world junior record holder Ronald Kwemoi (Team Komori Corp.) or sub-27 pacer Bedan Karoki (DeNA RC). Murayama's strongest domestic competition comes from his twin brother Kenta Murayama (Team Asahi Kasei), who told JRN that breaking Kota's 27:29.69 is his #1 priority for 2016 after having missed the Rio Olympics with injury. Another set of twins, Yuta Shitara (Team Honda) and Keita Shitara (Team Konica Minolta), along with half of yet another set, Takashi Ichida (Team Asahi Kasei), all likewise feature prominently among the sub-28 set. The world record for most men sub-28 in a single race, twenty, could well be under threat.
The B-heat is also solid, with Malel set to take a couple dozen men out on track to break 28. And that's not even the only race the same day at that level. Across town at Keio University, the Kanto Region University Time Trials meet features twelve men's 10000 m and two women's 10000 m heats, and its men's A-heat will also see some of Japan's best collegiate runners going for sub-28. Izumo Ekiden and National University Ekiden champion Aoyama Gakuin University is well on the way to completing the triple crown with a win at January's Hakone Ekiden. Last year Aoyama Gakuin put eight men sub-29 in one race at the Kanto meet. This year they're looking to go one better and score a sub-28 via star senior Tadashi Isshiki, but with seven of its best men in the A-heat it could come close to last year's incredible results. And it's not alone. Tokai University is locked in an arms race for depth at quality with Aoyama Gakuin, and many of its best, notably star first-year Ryoji Tatezawa, will be lining up in the same race. Likewise for Izumo and Nationals rival Yamanashi Gakuin University, which fields three of its best men led by senior Takaya Sato.
The Kanto meet also features women's races, and the 10000 m A-heat is packed with members of 2016 National University Women's Ekiden champion Matsuyama University. The women will be targeting 32:25, and Matsuyama senior Ayumi Uehara comes closest with a 32:36.25 best. Look for competition from her teammate Anna Matsuda and rivals Yuri Karasawa (Nittai Univ.), Saki Fukuro (Josai Univ.), Nanako Kanno (Ritsumeikan Univ.) and very promising first-year Natsuki Sekiya (Daito Bunka Univ.).
Hachioji Long Distance Entry List Highlights
Hosei Univ., Hachiojji, Tokyo, 11/26/16
click here for complete entry lists
times listed are best in last three years except where noted
Men's 10000 m A-Heat - sub-27:45
pacer - Bedan Karoki (Kenya/DeNA RC) - 26:52.36 (Eugene 2014)
James Mwangi (Kenya/NTN) - 27:23.04 (Kobe 2016)
Mamiyo Nigusse (Ethiopia/Yasukawa Denki) - 27:24.85 (Kobe 2016)
Rodgers Chumo Kwemoi (Kenya/Aisan Kogyo) - 27:25.23 (Bydgoszcz 2016)
Kota Murayama (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 27:29.69 (Hachioji 2015)
Bernard Kimanyi (Kenya/Yakult) - 27:36.60 (Hachioji 2014)
Patrick Muendo Mwaka (Kenya/Aisan Kogyo) - 27:37.67 (Yamaguchi 2014)
Teressa Nyakora (Ethiopia/Mazda) - 27:38.93 (Hachioji 2015)
Kassa Mekashaw (Ethiopia/Yachiyo Kogyo) - 27:38.93 (Hachioji 2014)
Kenta Murayama (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 27:39.95 (Nobeoka 2015)
Yuta Shitara (Japan/Honda) - 27:42.71 (Nobeoka 2015)
Shuho Dairokuno (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 27:46.55 (Hachioji 2015)
Alexander Mutiso (Kenya/ND Software) - 27:47.20 (Kobe 2016)
Samuel Mwangi (Kenya/Konica Minolta) - 27:50.92 (Hachioji 2015)
Daniel Kipkemoi (Kenya/Nishitetsu) - 27:53.19 (Gifu 2015)
Takashi Ichida (Japan/Asahi Kasei) - 27:53.59 (Abashiri 2016)
Patrick Mathenge Wambui (Kenya/Nihon Univ.) - 27:54.98 (Abashiri 2015)
Keita Shitara (Japan/Konica Minolta) - 27:56.60 (Hachioji 2014)
Mitsunori Asaoka (Japan/Hitachi Butsuryu) - 27:59.72 (Abashiri 2016)
Cyrus Kingori (Kenya/SGH Group) - 28:01.76 (Kobe 2016)
Simon Kariuki (Kenya/Nihon Yakka Univ.) - 28:03.65 (Abashiri 2016)
Minato Oishi (Japan/Toyota) - 28:04.65 (Abashiri 2015)
Shogo Nakamura (Japan/Fujitsu) - 28:09.86 (Abashiri 2015)
Chris Derrick (U.S.A./Nike) - 28:18.18 (Sacramento 2014)
Andrew Bumbalough (U.S.A./Nike) - 27:56.78 (Stanford, June 2013) (no mark in last three years)
Debut
Ronald Kwemoi (Kenya/Komori Corp.) - 13:16.14 (Nobeoka 2015)
Alfred Ngeno (Kenya/Nissin Shokuhin) - 13:19.38 (Yokohama 2016)
Men's 10000 m B-Heat - sub-28:00
pacer - William Malel (Kenya/Honda) - 26:54.66 (Eugene 2016)
Kensuke Takezawa (Japan/Sumitomo Denko) - 28:02.70 (Hachioji 2015)
Daniel Muiva Kitonyi (Japan/Kanebo) - 28:02.79 (Yokohama 2013)
Masato Kikuchi (Japan/Konica Minolta) - 28:04.25 (Hachioji 2014)
Tsubasa Hayakawa (Japan/Toyota) - 28:06.10 (Hachioji 2015)
Shun Inoura (Japan/Yachiyo Kogyo) - 28:14.20 (Abashiri 2016)
Ryo Matsumoto (Japan/Toyota) - 28:15.42 (Tajima 2016)
Naohiro Domoto (Japan/JR Higashi Nihon) - 28:18.81 (Hachioji 2015)
Chiharu Nakagawa (Japan/Toenec) - 28:19.46 (Hachioji 2015)
Keigo Yano (Japan/Nissin Shokuhin) - 28:21.89 (Hachioji 2015)
Naoki Kudo (Japan/Komazawa Univ.) - 28:23.85 (Yokohama 2015)
Naoki Aiba (Japan/Chudenko) - 28:26.96 (Hachioji 2015)
Masaki Toda (Japan/Nissin Shokuhin) - 28:28.27 (Hachioji 2015)
Hironori Tsuetaki (Japan/Fujitsu) - 28:31.84 (Hiyoshi 2015)
David Njuguna (Kenya/Yakult) - 28:35.03 (Hachioji 2015)
Hideto Yamanaka (Japan/Honda) - 28:54.33 (Yokohama 2015)
Hazuma Hattori (Japan/Toyo Univ.) - 28:55.31 (Saitama 2014)
Kanto Region University Time Trials Entry List Highlights
Keio University, Hiyoshi, Kanagawa, 11/26/16
click here for complete entry lists
Men's 10000 m A-Heat - 28:30 - 28:00
Tadashi Isshiki (4th yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 28:23.40
Takaya Sato (4th yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:26.70
Yuta Shimoda (3rd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 28:33.77
Titus Mumo Wambua (1st yr., Musashino Gakuin Univ.) - 28:36.32
Workneh Derese (2nd yr., Takushoku Univ.) - 28:43.21
Kazuki Tamura (3rd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 28:46.81
Kenta Ueda (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:48.92
Hayato Ozawa (4th yr., Senshu Univ.) - 28:55.11
Ryutaro Ichitani (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:55.14
Gen Hachisuka (4th yr., Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 28:55.95
Ryoji Tatezawa (1st yr., Tokai Univ.) - 13:48.89
Ryusei Yoshinaga (3rd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 13:49.83
Yuya Ando (4th yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 13:51.66
Takato Suzuki (1st yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 13:53.20
Ryota Motegi (4th yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 13:53.46
Shuto Mikai (2nd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 13:55.08
Ryunosuke Hayashi (4th yr., Tokai Univ.) - 13:56.69
Reo Kuniyuki (3rd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 13:59.14
Women's 10000 m A-Heat - sub-32:25
Ayumi Uehara (4th yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 32:36.25
Yuri Karasawa (3rd yr., Nittai Univ.) - 32:40.81
Saki Fukuro (3rd yr., Josai Univ.) - 32:45.47
Anna Matsuda (4th yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 32:54.41
Nanako Kanno (4th yr., Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 32:55.97
Kanade Furuya (2nd yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 32:56.78
Natsuki Sekiya (1st yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) - 15:33.96
Honoka Yuzawa (4th yr., Meijo Univ.) - 15:44.72
Misuzu Nakahara (4th yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 15:48.16
Misaki Ogata (2nd yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 15:49.26
Akane Fujiwara (2nd yr., Matsuyama Univ.) - 15:56.72
Hitomi Mizuguchi (2nd yr., Osaka Gakuin Univ.) - 15:57.73
Kanna Tamaki (2nd yr., Meijo Univ.) - 15:58.83
© 2016 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Comments