Meijo University Wins Second-Straight National University Women's Ekiden

After an unexpected breakthrough last year to win its first national title in 12 years, Meijo University took full advantage of its new recruits to win the Morinomiyako Ekiden, the Japanese University Women's Ekiden Championships, for the second year in a row Sunday in Sendai.

First-year Yuna Wada, who set up Nozomi Tanaka for the gold medal in this year's U20 World Championships 3000 m, took it out hard for Meijo, winning the 6.4 km First Stage by two seconds over Naruha Sato of last year's 3rd-placer Ritsumeikan University. After a rocky start 2017 runner-up Daito Bunka University's Yuka Suzuki made up a 42-second deficit on the 5.6 km Second Stage, turning it into a 15-second lead over Ritsumeikan with Meijo dropping to 3rd.

Star Meijo first-year Tomomi Musembi Takamatsu got it back under control, just missing the CR on the 6.8 km Third Stage as she put Meijo back into the lad for good. DBU, Ritsumeikan and darkhorse Tokyo Nogyo University battled to close the gap, but despite a brilliant run from fourth-year Natsuki Sekiya on the 9.2 km Fifth Stage DBU only managed to come within 34 seconds of Meijo by the end, runner-up again just 1 second closer than it came last year. Ritsumeikan was 3rd again, majorly cutting its loss from 1:31 last year to just 38 seconds this year.

Tokyo Nogyo improved on its 6th-place finish last year to 4th this year thanks in large part to 2017 World University Games half marathon gold medalist Yuki Munehisa and her duel with Sekiya. 2016 national champion Matsuyama University was 5th, a return to form after placing 13th last year. Kyoto Sangyo University, Osaka Gakuin University and Osaka Geijutsu University rounded out the eight-deep seeded bracket, Osaka Geijutsu earning that honor for the first time. Toyo University was the one to miss out, taking 9th with a gap of 29 seconds to Osaka Geijutsu. Tamagawa University was another 10 seconds behind in 10th.

With the demise of the Nikko Irohazaka Women's Ekiden, the next main event on the calendar for university women is December's season-ending Mounti Fuji Women's Ekiden.

36th Morinomiyako Ekiden

National University Women's Ekiden Championships
Sendai, Miyagi, 10/28/18
26 teams, 6 stages, 38.0 km
complete results

Top Team Results - top 8 seeded for 2019
1. Meijo University - 2:05:26
2. Daito Bunka University - 2:06:00
3. Ristumeikan University - 2:06:04
4. Tokyo Nogyo University - 2:06:10
5. Matsuyama University - 2:07:50
6. Kyoto Sangyo University - 2:08:28
7. Osaka Gakuin University - 2:08:30
8. Osaka Geijutsu University - 2:09:35
-----
9. Toyo University - 2:10:04
10. Tamagawa University - 2:10:14

Top Individual Stage Results
First Stage - 6.4 km -Yuna Wada (Meijo Univ.) - 20:48
Second Stage - 5.6 km -Yuka Suzuki (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 17:38
Third Stage - 6.8 km -Tomomi Musembi Takamatsu (Meijo Univ.) - 22:04
Fourth Stage - 4.8 km -Miyu Nakata (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 16:03
Fifth Stage - 9.2 km -Natsuki Sekiya (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 29:32
Sixth Stage - 5.2 km -Aki Manabe (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 17:24

text and photo © 2018 Brett Larner

Wanjiru Breaks Own MR, Fuwa and Ishida Return - Kanto Regionals Day 1 Highlights

Japan's best college meet kicked off Thursday at Tokyo's National Stadium at the 103rd Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships . Looking like she was doing a controlled tempo run, 2nd-yr Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) lapped the entire field to win the women's 10000 m in a meet record 32:02.87, almost 15 seconds under the record she last year in her debut. 3rd-yr Aoi Takahashi (Josai Univ.) was 2nd in 33:29.22 and 2nd-yr Nana Nagashima (Josai Kokusai Univ.) 3rd in a PB 33:30.28, but the other main news alongside Wanjiru's new record was the return of collegiate 10000 m record holder Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) in her first 10000 m in 19 months. Fuwa hung at the back of the chase pack for the first half, made a move to lead it in the second half, and ultimately faded to 9th in 33:40.20. Every comeback has to start somewhere. The D1 men's 10000 m had a tight group up front with the top 6 all finishing within 6 seconds and under 28:10. 3rd-yr Jam

Two-Time Olympic Marathon Medalist Erick Wainaina Referred to Prosectors on Suspicion of Assault

According to investigators, two-time Olympic marathon medalist Erick Wainaina has had his case referred to prosecutors after allegedly injuring a railway employee by striking him in the face at a station in Setagaya, Tokyo. Wainaina, 50, was the bronze medalist in the marathon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and won silver in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Wainaina is suspected of assaulting a woman in her late teens and a male Tokyo Denentoshi Line employee by hitting them in the face during an altercation at Komazawa University Station in March this year, resulting in minor injuries to the man's face. According to investigators, the incident began on the train between Wainaina and the woman, and after getting off at Komazawa University Station he hit her in the face when she asked him to go to the station office with her to report it. When the male railway employee responded to the situation Wainaina reportedly hit him too. In response to questioning Wainaina is said to have answered,

Police Arrest 20-Year-Old Man Charged With Assaulting Female Runner at Popular Tokyo Running Spot

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a female runner along the banks of the Tama River in Ota Ward, Tokyo. "I've been stuck at home because of the coronavirus, so I wanted to go for a walk and move my body a bit," the man told police. Local resident Hirai Muroyama , 20, of no known occupation, was arrested on charges of sexual assault. He is accused of acts including grabbing the breasts of a woman in her 20s at around 10 p.m. on May 31 along the banks of the Tama River. According to police, the woman was taking a break in her run when Muroyama approached her silently from behind and grabbed her breasts before running away. Under police interrogation Muroyama told investigators, "I've been stuck at home because of the coronavirus, so I wanted to go out for a walk and move my body. I'd had a few drinks and was feeling pretty hype. She was totally my type." source article: https://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newsey

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