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2009 National 10000 m Champ Yuki Iwai Named Assistant Coach at Asahi Kasei

On Sept. 1 the Asahi Kasei men's corporate team announced on its social media that Yuki Iwai, 40, has been named assistant coach. A native of Chiba, Iwai was the top Japanese finisher and 2nd overall in the 2000 National High School Championships 5000 m while at Narita H.S. The same year he also took 2nd in the Junior 5000 m at the National Sports Festival.

At Nihon University Iwai became a regular on its starting ekiden team right from the season-opening Izumo Ekiden his first year, helping lead Nihon to win Izumo a year later. His fourth year he ran the Hakone Ekiden's highly competitive Second Stage, placing a strong 6th.

At Asahi Kasei Iwai won the 10000 m at the 2009 National Championships. His time of 28:19.25 cleared the qualifying standard for that summer's Berlin World Championships, where he represented Japan. After that he suffered a series of injuries that led to his retirement after the 2014 National Corporate Half Marathon. He became a regular office worker at Asahi Kasei following his retirement.

On Asahi Kasei's social media Iwai commented, "I'm very pleased and humbled to have the chance to come back to the world of athletics. I will continue to support Asahi Kasei wholeheartedly and ask you to do the same."

source article:
translated by Brett Larner

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