Weekend Track Update

The biggest domestic meet of the weekend was the four-day Kanto Region Track and Field Championships, but there were other good meets happening across the country. At the Kinami Memorial Meet in Osaka, Kazuto Iizawa (Sumitomo Denko) had a near-miss on the Japanese NR, running a meet record 3:35.77 for the win to come in at all-time JPN #2. 2nd through 4th-placers Abraham Guem (South Sudan), Felix Muthiani (Kenya) and Dezhu Liu (China) were all under the old MR and under 3:38, and the top 10 all went under 3:40. All told it was one of the best non-international championship men's 1500 m ever on Japanese soil. The women's 3000 mSC also saw a new MR from Shuangshuang Xu (China) in 9:47.45, with 2nd through 4th-placers Miu Saito (Nittai Univ.), Georgia Winkcup (Australia) and Manami Nishiyama (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) all breaking 10 minutes.

At part one of the Chugoku Corporate Championships in Hiroshima, Rebecca Mwangi (Daiso) had an easy win in the women's 5000 m in 15:26.53, 13 seconds up on Paris Olympic marathon team alternate Ai Hosoda (Edion). Kenyan Chugoku Denryoku teammates Cosmas Mwangi and Waweru Nganga went 1-2 in the men's 10000 m in 28:10.82 and 28:11.11, Taiyo Iwasaki (JFE Steel) the top Japanese finisher at 3rd in 28:38.38.

At the Chubu Corporate Championships in Gifu, Yamato Yoshii (Toyota) ran a 3:39.75 MR to win the 1500 m, his first time under 3:40. Daiki Hattori (Toyota Boshoku) edged Simon Muthio Saidim (Chuo Hatsujo) by 0.80 to score the top spot in the men's 5000 m in 13:36.01. Philemon Kiplagat (Aisan Kogyo) won the 10000 m by 3 seconds over Felix Korir (Toyota) in 28:19.08. Yutaro Niinae (Aisan Kogyo) continued a breakthrough season with a 3000 m SC win in 8:39.27.

In the women's races, Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) took the 1500 m - 5000 m double, winning the 1500 m in 4:18.16 on Saturday and the 5000 m in 15:50.91 the next day. Rio Matsutani (Denso) took 4 seconds of the MR in the U20 women's 3000 m, soloing a 9:24.08 for the win. Marathoner Reia Iwade (Denso) took the 10000 m in 33:30.26.

Overseas, men's 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura (Subaru) had a good run at the Doha Diamond League meet, running 4 seconds off his PB with an 8:13.96 for 5th. NR holder Nozomi Tanaka (New Balance) was unimpressive in the women's 5000 m, running only 15:11.21 for 11th. At the Track Fest meet in L.A., Hibiki Obara had a good run in the men's 3000 mSC with am 8:25.92 PB for 5th, beating Olympian Ryoma Aoki (Honda), who ran 8:35.16 for 9th.

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