Okumoto and Kondo Score Silver and Bronze - U20 Asian Championships Day One

The U20 Asian Athletics Championships started Wednesday in Dubai, U.A.E. Narumi Okumoto (Hitachi) and Nozomi Kondo (Meijo Univ.) scored Japan's first two medals in the women's 3000 m, running behind leader Yaxuan Li of China over the first 1000 m. Kondo lost touch after the first 1000 m, while Okumoto lasted another 1000 m with Li. Li took gold in 9:12.79, Okumoto silver in 9:25.19 and Kondo bronze in 9:38.91.

In qualifying rounds:

Both Yuri Nishida (Ritsumeikan Univ.) and Sari Kameda (Kyoto Kyoiku Univ.) won their women's 800 m heats and advanced to the next round, Nishida in a PB 2:07.36 and Kamei in 2:10.87, also a PB.
Shota Fuchigami (Waseda Univ.) won his 400 mH heat in a PB 50.19 to make the final.
Hiroto Shogomori (Chuo Univ.) was 2nd in his 400 m heat in 47.37, yet another athlete to run a PB, moving on to the semifinals.
The lone female sprinter on the Japanese team, Misaki Morimoto (Sonoda Joshi Gakuen Univ.) won her 100 m heat in 12.20 (-1.4) and advanced.
Both men in the 100 m heats likewise advanced, Kaito Kuroki (Chuo Univ.) winning Heat 1 in 10.57 (+2.0) and Kai Hirasawa (Fukuoka Univ.) 2nd in Heat 4 in 10.59 (+1.0).

Complete results from day one are here. The U20 Asian Athletics Championships continue through Saturday.

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