Hokuren Distance Challenge Update

Japan's main early summer track series, the Hokuren Distance Challenge, is underway across Hokkaido. Following last month's special last chance edition for people to go for Oregon 2022 World Championships qualifying times, two regular meets have already happened this month.

At the July 2 Shibetsu Meet, Benard Koech (Kyudenko) won the day's biggest race, the men's 5000 m A-heat, in 13:26.03 by a fraction of a second over Muthoni Muiru (JR Higashi Nihon). The biggest surprise was World Championships 3000 mSC squad member Kosei Yamaguchi (Aisan Kogyo) outkicking lone Worlds 5000 m entrant Hyuga Endo (Sumitomo Kaijo) for top Japanese honors at 3rd overall in 13:33.45. Endo was 5th in 13:35.59, doing the race as a workout after winning the 3000 m in 7:52.50 where he beat another Worlds steepler, Ryoma Aoki (Honda) by 5 seconds. After missing the Tokyo Olympics 10000 m by a fraction of a second, Kazuki Tamura (Sumitomo Denko) came close to a full comeback from a long injury, 6 seconds off his best to win the 5000 m B-heat in 13:39.11.

2019 World University Games half marathon gold medalist Yuka Suzuki (Daiichi Seimei) had a great corporate debut, winning the women's 5000 m in a 4-second PB of 15:33.41 over Sayaka Sato (Sekisui Kagaku). Hellen Ekarare won the women's 1500 m A-heat easily in a PB 4:05.82 to lead a Toyota Jidoshokki sweep of the top 3 spots.

Koech was back at the July 6 Fukagawa Meet, soloing the men's 10000 m A-heat to win by 40 seconds in 27:12.72. Four other Japan-based Kenyans went under 28 minutes, Ayumu Kobayashi (NTT Nishi Nihon) the fastest Japanese man of the day in 28:08.06 for 6th. Dominic Langat (Konica Minolta) won the men's 5000 m A-heat in 13:34.60, fan favorite Keita Shitara (Hitachi Butsuryu) turning in a now-rare win in the B-heat in 13:57.71.

Natsuki Omori (Daihatsu) won the women's 10000 m in 32:47.72, with Tokyo Olympics marathoner Ayuko Suzuki (Japan Post) continuing her incremental comeback with a 32:52.04 for 2nd. Miki Hirai (Uniqlo) won the 5000 m A-heat just off her PB in 15:47.30, with Worlds team member Nozomi Tanaka (Toyota Jidoshokki) opting for 1st in the 3000 m in 8:42.66. In a sign of continued progress on Japan's borders re-opening, South Korean Yujin Kim was 8th in the 5000 m in 16:14.68 and teammate Somang Shin won the 800 m in a PB 2:04.46.

The next Hokuren Distance Challenge meet happens July 9 in Kitami. The series runs through July 16.

Comments

Most-Read This Week

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,

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

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

japan running news

Search This Blog