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Wanjiru and Ndiku Lead Oda Memorial Distance Results



Japan's outdoor season rolled on April 28 with the 52nd Oda Memorial Meet, one of the events used in selection for Japan's national team for this summer's Jakarta Asian Games. Rosemary Monica Wanjiru (Starts) topped the day's results with a 15:08.61 meet record in the Women's Grand Prix 5000 m, easily leaving senior teammate Grace Kimanzi and veteran Ann Karindi (Toyota Jidoshokki) behind to take the top spot.


Dropping a massive PB for 4th, Minami Yamanouchi (Kyocera) was the first Japanese women in 15:21.31. Longtime readers might remember Yamanouchi as a 17-year-old high schooler from Fukushima casually breaking high school boys' records and running sub-3 marathons for fun. Now 24, she has landed at the Kyocera corporate team under the tutelage of former men's half marathon national record holder and fellow Fukushima native Atsushi Sato. Clearly it's the right place for her.


Current high schooler Naomi Muthoni (Sera H.S.) led the Non-Grand Prix 5000 m in 15:20.14, while first-year Tomomi Musembi Takamatsu (Meijo Univ.) continued a strong transition to the college circuit as she won the U20 5000 m in 15:45.79.

On the men's side, Jonathan Ndiku (Hitachi Butsuryu) narrowly edged junior teammate Richard Kimunyan for the Grand Prix 5000 m win in 13:34.46. Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) was the first Japanese man across the line at 3rd in 13:37.24. The great Paul Tanui (Kyudenko) had an off day, finishing 7th in only 13:50.33. Yudai Okamoto (JFE Steel) took the Non-Grand Prix win in 13:52.35.

52nd Oda Memorial Meet Highlights

Hiroshima, 4/28/18
click here for complete results

Women's Grand Prix 5000 m
1. Rosemary Monica Wanjiru (Starts) - 15:08.61 - MR
2. Grace Kimanzi (Starts) - 15:15.65
3. Ann Karindi (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 15:20.24
4. Minami Yamanouchi (Kyocera) - 15:21.31
5. Kaori Morita (Panasonic) - 15:34.43
6. Mariam Waithera (Kyudenko) - 15:38.72
7. Natsuki Sekiya (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 15:40.47
8. Yukari Ishizawa (Edion) - 15:41.01
9. Yuka Ando (Suzuki Hamamatsu AC) - 15:44.35
10. Sakiho Tsutsui (Yamada Denki) - 15:44.48

U20 Women's 5000 m
1. Tomomi Musembi Takamatsu (Meijo Univ.) - 15:45.79
2. Ririka Hironaka (Nagasaki Shogyo H.S.) - 15:48.82
3. Miku Moribayashi (Denso) - 15:52.58

Women's Non-Grand Prix 5000 m
1. Naomi Muthoni (Sera H.S.) - 15:20.14
2. Tamaki Ichikawa (Yamada Denki) - 15:48.51
3. Yuka Sarumida (Universal Entertainment) - 16:11.98

Men's Grand Prix 5000 m
1. Jonathan Ndiku (Hitachi Butsuryu) - 13:34.46
2. Richard Kimunyan (Hitachi Butsuryu) - 13:34.86
3. Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) - 13:37.24
4. John Maina (Fujitsu) - 13:38.79
5. Charles Ndirangu (JFE Steel) - 13:43.83
6. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei) - 13:47.58
7. Paul Tanui (Kyudenko) - 13:50.33
8. Yuki Muta (Hitachi Butsuryu) - 13:52.34
9. Toshiyuki Yanagi (Hitachi Butsuryu) - 13:57.48
10. Takashi Ichida (Asahi Kasei) - 14:09.19

Men's Non-Grand Prix 5000 m
1. Yudai Okamoto (JFE Steel) - 13:52.35
2. Rei Hashimoto (Mazda) - 13:57.68
3. Patrick Kimani (JFE Steel) - 13:58.24

© 2018 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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sonny said…
Looks like no video available for the Men's 5000 Grand Prix. Sad face.
May 1, 2018 at 10:13 PM
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