Skip to main content

Saturday at Kanaguri and Nittai


Two big meets happened Saturday, one in Kumamoto and the other in Yokohama. At Kumamoto's Kanaguri Memorial Meet, Benard Koech (Kyudenko) turned in the performance of the day with a 13:13.52 meet record to win the men's 5000 m A-heat by just 0.11 seconds over Emmanuel Kipchirchir (SGH). The top four were all under 13:20, with 10000 m national record holder Kazuya Shiojiri (Fujitsu) bouncing back from a DNF at last month's The TEN to take the top Japanese spot at 7th overall in 13:24.57. The B-heat was also decently quick, Shadrack Rono (Subaru) winning in 13:21.55 and Shoya Yonei (JR Higashi Nihon) running a 10-second PB to get under 13:30 for the first time in 13:29.29 for 6th. Paris Olympics marathoner Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko) was 9th in 13:30.62.


South Sudan's Abraham Guem (Ami AC) also set a meet record in the men's 1500 m A-heat in 3:38.94. 3000 mSC national record holder Ryuji Miura made his debut with the Subaru corporate team, running 3:39.78 for 2nd. 1500 m national record holder Kazuki Kawamura (Toenec) was 6th in 3:42.58.

Gilbert Kiprotich (Sunbelx) led the top three men in the 10000 m under 27:45, winning in 27:41.48 by 0.33 over teammate Samson Ndirangu and Antipas Kibet (Komori Corp.) 3rd in 27:43.18. Yudai Katakawa (Asia Univ.) was the top Japanese man with a PB of 28:11.20 for 5th.


The meet record also fell in the women's 1500 m, where Esther Muthoni (Nitori) ran 4:06.54 for the win over national record holder Nozomi Tanaka (New Balance) by 1.44 seconds. Sherry Drury (Tsuyama H.S.) was 9th in 4:25.45. Tanaka doubled in the 800 m but lost there too, Rin Kubo (Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S.) taking 1st in 2:05.35 to Tanaka's 2:06.08. Yuma Yamamoto (Sekisui Kagaku) took the 3000 m in 9:14.87.

Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) was one of three Kenyan women under 15:20 in the women's 5000 m A-heat, taking the top spot in 15:17.94. Wakana Kabasawa (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) was 4th in 15:22.04 for top Japanese. Dolphine Omare (U.S.E.) continued a solid season that saw her run 1:06:07 at the Marugame Half in February with a PB of 31:36.45 to win the 10000 m by almost two minutes over Paris Olympics marathon trials winner Yuka Suzuki (Daiichi Seimei).


At Yokohama's Nittai University Time Trials, Shadrack Kipkemei (Nihon Univ.) won the men's 5000 m A-heat in 13:20.86, almost 7 seconds up on collegiate record holder Amos Bett (Tokyo Kokusai Univ.). Taiga Tosen (Surugadai Univ.) turned in the 2nd-fastest Japanese time of the weekend with a 27-second PB of 13:27.98 for 3rd right behind Bett. Yota Mashiko (Gakuho Ishikawa H.S.) turned in a solid 13:34.60 for 6th, the 6th-best ever by a Japanese-born high schooler.


The women's 3000 m was excellent, with Margaret Akidor (Comodi Iida) winning in 8:39.18, Caroline Kariba (Japan Post) 2nd in 8:47.34 in her corporate league debut after graduating from national champion Kamimura Gakuen H.S. last month, and Daisy Cherop (Sendai Ikuei H.S.) 3rd in 8:52.18. Tabitha Njeri Kamau (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) won the 5000 m A-heat in 15:29.93.

© 2024 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Buy Me A Coffee

Labels:

Comments

Stefan said…
Hopefully, as Sherry Drury matures her race smarts improve. I've seen her race a few times where she goes out very hard trying to hang onto the leaders and then falls away badly. She is very young so it is understandable and it is all a good learning experience.
I am surprised that Yuma Yamamoto did not challenge herself by running in the 5000m with the better performing athletes. She is running well outside her PB of 8:52.19 she set in 2022! I have yet to see any improvement since her move to Sekisui Kagaku.
I was very impressed with the ever improving Wakana Kabasawa and the progress she has been steadily making since her move from Shiseido to Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo. Only 3 seconds outside her PB and very early in the season.
Wow, Caroline Kariba went to Japan Post! Their Ekiden team is looking very strong now. Very strong. Margaret Akidor running 8:39.18 in the 3000m. Superb.
Some excellent races and thanks Brett for your great summary of the events.
April 15, 2024 at 10:32 AM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

National University Championships Entry Lists and Streaming

The 95th National University Track and Field Championships run Friday through Monday at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. The complete meet schedule and live results are here . The 10000 m races were already held separately earlier this season. Streaming starts at 9:00 a.m. Saturday Japan time, with separate field event channels and Day 2 and 3 streaming here . Top entries in each event with best performance in the qualifying window: Men 100 m Shoma Yamamoto (Hiroshima Univ.) - 10.04 Fukuto Komuro (Chuo Univ.) - 10.07 Naoki Nishioka (Tsukuba Univ.) - 10.09 Riku Oishi (Toyo Univ.) - 10.13 Kaito Kuroki (Chuo Univ.) - 10.14 Ryunosuke Mizuno (Waseda Univ.) - 10.14 Yugo Haitamataira (Juntendo Univ.) - 10.17 Shun Miyashita (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 10.19 200 m Akira Hayashi (Keio Univ.) - 20.36 Tomoru Funaki (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 20.39 Oma Asai (Tsukuba Univ.) - 20.47 Reishin Yamamoto (Toyo Univ.) - 20.49 Shingo Suzuki (Tokai Univ.) - 20.54 Haruto Nakamura (Fukuoka Univ.) - 20.55 400 m Shinya Hayashi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Yuasa and Niiya Win Hokkaido Marathon, 6 Qualify for Olympic Trials

  Six more people picked up qualifying spots for next year's MGC Race at yesterday's Hokkaido Marathon in Sapporo, guaranteeing themselves places at Japan's 2028 Los Angeles Olympics marathon trials. In the men's race, Hibiki Yoshida tried to break away from the massive lead group at 30 km, opening a 25-second lead between there and 35 km before getting cut down by the chase trio of Jin Yuasa , Ken Tansho and Masato Arao . All three stayed together until the very end, Yuasa showing the same kind of closing speed he had in winning 2025 Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon and pulling away to win in 2:10:46. The debuting Tansho was next in 2:10:55, with Arao, 6th at last year's Sydney Marathon in an excellent 2:07:42, 3rd here in 2:10:59. By clearing 2:12:00 all three picked up MGC qualifying spots, freeing them up to go overseas next spring. Continuing a great season, Soka University 's Shoki Yamaguchi was 4th in 2:11:47, missing out on trials qualification but bea...
1 comment
Read more

Monterey Welcomes Student-Athletes from Sister City Nanao, Japan

a press release by the Monterey-Nanao Cross Country Exchange Project photos here Fourteen student-athletes from Nanao High School in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, recently completed a weeklong visit to the Monterey Peninsula as part of the Monterey–Nanao Cross Country Exchange Project , bringing together young people from the two Sister Cities through running, education, environmental stewardship, cultural exchange, and friendship. The seven boys and seven girls from Nanao were paired with 14 members of the Monterey High School cross country team and stayed in their homes throughout the visit. The week marked the first half of a reciprocal exchange that will continue when the Monterey students travel to Nanao later this year. The visitors received their first introduction to Monterey shortly after arriving at Monterey High School, walking with their hosts to Sister City Park and gathering for photographs beside the sign honoring Nanao — a fitting beginning for a week devoted to bringin...
Post a Comment
Read more