Midweek Track Roundup

Catching up on track results from the last few days:

After skipping the National Championships, men's 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura (Subaru) and 110 mH hurdler Shunsuke Izumiya (Sumitomo Denko) demonstrated fitness at the Paris Diamond League meet. Miura ran a season best 8:10.52 for 7th, with Izumiya 3rd in the final in a 13.16 (-0.6) SB after winning Heat 2 in 13.16 (+0.4). National champion Rachid Muratake (JAL) was a DNS in the final after winning Heat 1 in 13.15 (+0.1).

At the last Nittai University Time Trials meet of the season, collegiate 5000 m and 10000 m record holder Richard Etir (Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) won the men's 5000 m fast heat in 13:27.48, outrunning Brian Kiptoo (Reitaku Univ.) and Patrick Kamau (Kokushikan Univ.). Reishi Yoshida (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) was the fastest Japanese man in the meet at 13:45.54 for 6th. Kiptoo also soloed a 10000 m, literally, as in the only person in the race, in 29:05.52. Sharon Mwanthi (Yamanashi Gakuin H.S.) won the women's 3000 m fast heat in 9:23.96, Saki Arai (Takushoku Univ.) taking the 5000 m in 16:35.02.

But most people were up in Hokkaido for summer training, with the Hokuren Distance Challenge series getting underway in Kitami. In the all-African men's 5000 m C-heat, Samuel Kibathi (Toyota) outlined Raphael Dapash (JR Higashi Nihon) for the win 13:12.28 to 13:12.82. Kento Yamauchi (Kyudenko) won the all-Japanese A-heat on 13:32.48. Tatsuya Matsuoka (Kao) and Yudai Shimazu (GMO) both cleared 8 minutes in the men's 3000 m, Matsuoka winning in 7:58.01 and Shimazu 2nd in 7:58.34.

Deborah Chemutai (Univ. Ent.) took the Kitami women's 5000 m A-heat in 15:36.04 over Rion Furukawa (Nitori), 2nd in 15:38.18. Susan Kamotho (Yamada Holdings) and Janet Nyiva (Panasonic) were both way under 9 minutes in the women's in the closest race in a day of close races, Kamotho scoring the win in 8:46.68 and Nyiva 2nd in 8:46.70. Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) won the women's 1500 easily in a PB 4:03.65, following up on her near-miss on her PB last week at the National Championships.

At the HDC Abashiri meet, Stephen Muthini (Soka Univ.) ran 27:44.92 to lead Yuya Yoshida (GMO), Yuto Imae (GMO), Itta Tameike (Chuo Univ.) and Osaka Marathon winner Kiyoto Hirabayashi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) under 28 minutes in the men's 10000 m A-heat. Tameike's time of 27:52.38 was a new school record that made him the first Chuo runner in history to break 28. Amos Kurgat (Chudenko) couldn't match Kibathi's run in Kitami, winning the 5000 m A-heat in 13:19.11. Komazawa University captain Kotaro Shinohara was the top Japanese man, just off his PB at 13:35.33 for 6th. Shimazu followed up his 3000 m in Kitami with a 13:37.35 win in the 5000 m B-heat in Abashiri.

Nyiva was back to win the women's 10000 m in 31:16.01, just outrunning Caroline Kariba (Japan Post) by 0.56 for the win. The top 7 all went under 32 minutes, including Sayaka Sato (Sekisui Kagaku), Erika Tanoura (Sekisui Kagaku) and Kazuna Kanetomo (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo). Kamotho was also back, winning the women's 5000 m A-heat in a solid 15:09.68 almost 30 seconds up on top Japanese finisher Yuna Takahashi (Shimamura), 3rd in 15:36.46. Lucy Nduta (Aomori Yamada H.S.) won the 3000 m in Abashiri in 8:57.26, Ai Watanabe (Sonoda Gakuen Joshi H.S.) taking the 1500 m in 4:19.16.

The Hokuren Distance Challenge series continues Saturday in Shibetsu.

Juntendo University Legendary Coach Sawaki Steps Down Amid Abuse Allegations After 4 Athletes Taken to Hospital - "This is the Way We've Always Done It"

Juntendo University is one of the true powers of the Hakone Ekiden, with 11 wins in 65 appearances and producing current 3000 mSC and 10000 m national record holders Ryuji Miura and Kazuya Shiojiri . But an investigation by the Weekly Shincho gossip rag has uncovered students' accusations of abuse and power harassment against a famed honorary head coach. The university administration has acknowledged that student athletes were put in danger and indicated that the coach in question would step away from any coaching duties. The accused man is Keisuke Sawaki , 80, former head coach of the Juntendo track and field team and currently serving as a specially-appointed professor and honorary head coach at the university. A Juntendo alumnus and two-time Olympian who competed in long distance track events at both the 1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich Olympics, as head coach Sawaki led Juntendo to 9 of its 11 Hakone victories. Those successes led to him serving at one point as executive dir

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

National University Track and Field Championships Entry Lists and Streaming

The 93rd National University Track and Field Championships start today at Kanagawa's Todoroki Stadium and run through Sunday. The meet schedule and live results can be had here . Streaming of most events will be linked here once competition starts each day. Top entrants in each event: Women 100 m Wakana Okane (Konan Univ.) - 11.55 Yume Okuno (Konan Univ.) - 11.55 Yu Ishikawa (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 11.55 Miu Kurashige (Konan Univ.) - 11.63 Yuiko Yamazaki (Nihon Joshi Taiiku Univ.) - 11.63 Misato Sato (Chuo Univ.) - 11.64 200 m Aiha Yamagata (Fukuoka Univ.) - 23.53 Ami Takahashi (Tsukuba Univ.) - 23.67 Arie Flores (Nittai Univ.) - 23.73 Yuzuki Kojima (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 23.82 Miu Kurashige (Konan Univ.) - 23.96 Hazuki Yoshinaga (Chuo Univ.) - 23.96 400 m Arie Flores (Nittai Univ.) - 53.28 Marin Adachi (Sonoda Gakuen Joshi Univ.) - 53.52 Yuzuki Kojima (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 53.99 Yuzuki Nakao (Sonoda Gakuen Joshi Univ.) - 54.12 Ririka Miyachi (Surugadai Univ.) - 54.13 800 m Ai Wat

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