Kamulu Breaks Fukushi's 10000 m Meet Record - National Corporate Track and Field Championships Day One Highlights

The fastest woman in the world over 10000 m this year with her 30:41.85 Japanese all-comers record at July's Hokuren Distance Challenge Fukagawa meet, Pauline Kamulu Kaveke (Route Inn Hotels) added another sub-31 clocking to her name with a 30:56.94 meet record win on the first day of the 86th National Corporate Track and Field Championships in Osaka's Nagai Stadium. Starting off with company from fellow Japan-based Kenyan Grace Kimanzi (Starts) and the Japanese duo of Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal) and Minami Yamanouchi (Kyocera), Kamulu was alone by 2000 m dead on track to equal her July mark.

Fading slightly over the second half of the race she still managed to shave nearly a second off Kayoko Fukushi's 2006-era meet record, nearly lapping the entire field. Kimanzi held on to 2nd in 32:02.39, with first Yamanouchi and then Ichiyama dropping back through the field. Seemingly close to her A-game again after a long period off with injury and a change in corporate team and coaching, Ayumi Hagiwara (Toyota Jidoshokki) looked set to take top Japanese honors but was overtaken by Harumi Okamoto (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) and Yuka Hori (Panasonic) over the last lap. Okamoto cut 8 seconds off her best to take 3rd overall in 32:08.64. Ichiyama landed 7th in 32:34.92 with Yamanouchi ending up 10th in 33:29.98.

Erika Ikeda (Higo Ginko) won the B-heat in 33:35.34. Hori's teammate Nanami Watanabe (Panasonic) took the junior women's 3000 m in 9:05.03, with Hana Yamada (Warabeya Nichiyo) winning a slow women's 800 m in 2:07.23. On the men's side, relative unknown Keisuke Morita (Komori Corp.) dropped a quick 3:41.61 to win the 1500 m A-heat over favorites Shogo Hata (Otsuka Seiyaku) and Nanami Arai (Honda). Absent from a planned run at last weekend's Copenhagen Half Marathon, 10000 m national record holder Kota Murayama (Asahi Kasei) was 11th in a disappointing 3:54.83. Naoki Chiba (SGH Group) took the junior men's 1500 m in 3:50.82. The National Corporate Track and Field Championships continue throughout the weekend.

86th National Corporate Track and Field Championships

Day One Highlights
Nagai Stadium, Osaka, 9/21/18
complete results

Women
Women's 10000 m Final A-Heat
1. Pauline Kamulu Kaveke (Route Inn Hotels) - 30:56.94 - MR
2. Grace Kimanzi (Starts) - 32:02.39
3. Harumi Okamoto (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 32:08.64
4. Yuka Hori (Panasonic) - 32:11.53
5. Ayumi Hagiwara (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 32:12.53
6. Misaki Kato (Kyudenko) - 32:24.57
7. Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal) - 32:34.92
8. Misaki Hayashida (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 32:52.50
9. Natsuki Omori (Daihatsu) - 33:05.45
10. Minami Yamanouchi (Kyocera) - 33:29.98

Women's 10000 m Final B-Heat
1. Erika Ikeda (Higo Ginko) - 33:35.34
2. Ikumi Fukura (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 33:37.17
3. Yuko Kikuchi (Hokuren) - 33:38.18
4. Yomogi Akasaka (Saitama Ika Univ. staff) - 33:39.93
5. Madoka Nakano (Noritz) - 33:44.17

Junior Women's 3000 m Final A-Heat
1. Nanami Watanabe (Panasonic) - 9:05.03
2. Misaki Hayashida (Kyudenko) - 9:14.50
3. Hasegawa Shino (Wacoal) - 9:18.03
4. Sara Miyake (Tenmaya) - 9:18.94
5. Momoka Kawaguchi (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 9:23.89

Junior Women's 3000 m Final B-Heat
1. Aoi Suzuki (Nitori) - 9:28.39
2. Amiru Akiyama (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 9:31.34
3. Reina Kiyomizu (Wacoal) - 9:32.32

Women's 800 m Final
1. Hana Yamada (Warabeya Nichiyo) - 2:07.23
2. Mariko Takeuchi (Ehime Ginko) - 2:07.60
3. Miho Shingu (Toho Ginko) - 2:08.56

Men
Men's 1500 m Final A-Heat
1. Keisuke Morita (Komori Corp.) - 3:41.61
2. Shogo Hata (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 3:42.01
3. Nanami Arai (Honda) - 3:42.86
4. Yasunari (Ami AC) - 3:44.33
5. Chiharu Nakagawa (Toenec) - 3:45.08
-----
11. Kota Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 3:54.83

Men's 1500 m Final B-Heat
1. Shinichiro Nakamura (Kyudenko) - 3:46.65
2. Yoshihiro Nishizawa (Komori Corp.) - 3:48.68
3. Hayate Takeuchi (NTN) - 3:49.00

Junior Men's 1500 m Final
1. Naoki Chiba (SGH Group) - 3:50.82
2. Kazuki Arai (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 3:52.36
3. Yusuke Tamura (Kurosaki Harima) - 3:52.82

© 2018 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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