Hokuren and Nittai - Early July Track Results

Three big meets have happened in Japan in the last few days. Nittai University held a one-day edition of its time trials series on July 1, most of its usual base of athletes being up north in Hokkaido. Unattached Kenyan Stephen Lemayan took the men's 5000 m A-heat in 13:47.49 over Tomoki Ichimura (Sunbelx), 2nd in 13:47.92. Hayato Oguma (Tokyo Jitsugyo H.S.) won the 1500 m A-heat in 3:46.83, a quality mark for a Japanese high schooler.

Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) continued her solid debut season with a 15:53.46 win by almost 15 seconds in the women's 5000 m A-heat. The home team's Haruko Hosaka (Nittai Univ.) won the women's 3000 m A-heat in 9:20.54.

The Hokuren Distance Challenge series in Hokkaido also kicked off July 1 with its first meet happening in Shibetsu. Mostly a tune-up for later meets in the series, the highlight in women's races was an 8:55.80 win by Eva Cherono (Toto) in the 3000 m A-heat by 4 seconds over Esther Muthoni (Nitori). Rion Furukawa (Nitori) was the top Japanese woman at 3rd in 9:14.73 after 5000 m NR holder Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) faded off an early sub-9 pace to finish 9th in 9:20.63. Marathoner Mao Uesugi (Starts) was 10th in 9:20.94.

Da Eun Jeong (South Korea) couldn't sustain a shot at the Korean women's 5000 m NR but still had the win in her, taking 1st in 16:06.62 by 12 seconds. Set to run the marathon at the Budapest World Championships next month, Sayaka Sato (Sekisui Kagaku) won the 10000 m in 32:38.71.

Jonathan Ndiku (Hitachi) had a narrow win over Yuichiro Nishikawa (Sumitomo Denko) in the men's 3000 m, 7:59.55 to 7:59.97. South Koreans went 1-2 in the 1500 m A-heat, Jong Hak Park getting the win in 3:47.43. All five heats of 5000 m had winning times under 14 minutes, with the fastest time coming from the almost all-Kenyan C-heat winner Samuel Kibathi (Kurashiki H.S.) in 13:23.76. The only Japanese man in the C-heat, Tomoki Ota (Toyota) ran a good 13:24.59 PB for 2nd, just over a second ahead of 3rd-placer James Muoki (Konica Minolta).

The second meet in the series took place July 5 in Fukagawa. Muoki was back to win a three-way sprint finish over Ndiku and Andrew Lorot (YKK) in the 10000 m A-heat, Muoki running 27:43.67, Ndiku 27:44.50 and Lorot 27:44.65. Hideaki Sumiyoshi (Kyudenko) ended up in the top Japanese spot at 5th in 28:26.18, running down early frontrunners Sonata Nagashima (Asahi Kasei), Hiroto Inoue (Mitsubishi Juko) and Ichitaka Yamashita (Mitsubishi Juko). Dennis Kipkirui (Makes) had the top 5000 m time of the day at 13:31.27, with Katsutoshi Monoe (Kao) leading the 1500 m results in 3:47.40.

Ai Watanabe (Sonoda Gakuen Joshi Univ.) made into the all-time collegiate top 10 in the 800 m, winning in 2:03.75 over 2:02 runners Ayaka Kawata (Niconiconori) and Ayano Shiomi (Iwatani Sangyo). Jeong was back in the 3000 m, winning in 9:08.98. Momoka Kawaguchi (Uniqlo) beat Kenyan Martha Mokaya (Canon) and Shibetsu 10000 m winner Sato in the 5000 m, taking the top spot in 15:42.93. Agnes Mwikali (Kyocera) scored the 10000 m win in 32:15.47, top Japanese woman Hikaru Kitagawa, a performing arts major at Osaka Geijutsu University, 2nd in 32:39.02 just a fraction of a second off Sato's Shibetsu time.

The Hokuren Distance Challenge Series continues Saturday in Abashiri. Streaming and live results will be here.

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

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