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Showing posts with the label Minori Hayakari

Yamagata Drops 100 m PB, Tanui Takes Another Title, and Hayashida Breaks 3000 m JHS National Record - Weekend Track Highlights

by Brett Larner

With ekiden season just starting to break track action was heavy across the country as teams started to sharpen their lineups after summer mileage.  At the National Corporate Track and Field Championships in Osaka, Rio Olympics 4x100 m silver medalist Ryota Yamagata (Seiko) ran a 10.03 (+0.5 m/s) PB and meet record to beat his Rio relay teammate Asuka Cambridge (Dome), drawing ever closer to Japan's first sub-10 clocking.  Another member of the Rio team, Shota Iizuka (Mizuno) duly won the 200 m in 20.57 (+0.0 m/s), doubling in the 4x100 m and running a rare 4x400 m to help bring Mizuno national corporate titles in both, Mizuno breaking the 4x400 m meet record with a 3:04.51 win.

A meet record also fell in the men's 3000 mSC, where two-time national champion Hironori Tsuetaki (Team Fujitsu) ran an all-time Japanese #7 8:29.78 for the win.  Times were also fast by Japanese standards in the women's 1500 m, where Kenyan Ann Karindi (Toyota Jidoshokki) came up …
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Takamizawa Breaks 3000 mSC University and Junior National Records in Paris

by Brett Larner

The favorite to win the women's 3000 mSC at the weekend's National University Track and Field Championships after her runner-up finish last year, 19-year-old Anju Takamizawa (Matsuyama Univ.) instead opted to head to France as part of the Japanese team for the Sept. 13 DécaNation meet at Paris' Stade Charléty.  On June 28 Takamizawa broke the junior national record with a 9:55.79 to win the National Championships in Niigata.  A month later on July 26 she was back in Niigata to break her own junior national record with a 9:54.95 at the Niigata Prefecture Championships.  In Paris Takamizawa did it again, running another junior national record of 9:53.72 for 4th.  Her Paris performance also just broke the 9:53.87 collegiate national record set by Mayuko Nakamura (Tsukuba Univ.) at last year's National Championships, establishing Takamizawa as Japan's leading current steepler.  The 9:33.93 Japanese national record set by the great Minori Hayakari (Kyoto…
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National Track and Field Championships - Distance Event Entry List Highlights

by Brett Larner

Entry lists are out for the 99th Japanese National Track and Field Championships, June 26-28 in Niigata, doubling this year as the main selection event for the Japanese team for the 2015 Beijing World Championships.  Highlights of distance event entries are below.  Both the men's and women's 10000 m look set to be exceptionally good races.  Look for a detailed preview and explanation of the Worlds team selection criteria next week.

99th National Track and Field Championships
Niigata, June 26-28, 2015
click here for complete entry lists

Men's 10000 m
William Malel (Kenya/Honda) - 27:25.56
Yuki Sato (Nissin Shokuhin) - 27:38.25
Suguru Osako (Nike Oregon Project) - 27:38.31
Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei) - 27:38.99
Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 27:39.95
Chihiro Miyawaki (Toyota) - 27:41.57
Yuta Shitara (Honda) - 27:42.71
Akinobu Murasawa (Nissin Shokuhin) - 27:50.59
Keita Shitara (Konica Minolta) - 27:51.54
Yuki Matsuoka (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 27:59.78
Yuichiro U…
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2014 Japanese National Track and Field Championships Preview

by Brett Larner
click here for live streaming

With the Japanese Federation getting serious about this fall’s Asian Games as Japan’s buildup to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gets underway, Fukushima plays host to the 98th edition of the National Track and Field Championships this weekend. Several events have seen national records fall this season, and there is the potential for more including one key distance record.

Friday

Friday’s main long distance race is the women’s 10000 m. Last year Hitomi Niiya lapped the entire field to set a meet record of 31:06.67 for the win, but with Niiya apparently serious about her retirement last year’s 2nd through 4th-place finishers will have a go at succeeding her for the national title. 2013 runner-up Yuko Shimizu (Team Sekisui Kagaku) made a decent marathon debut at London in April and will be returning to the track for her first major race since then. Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo) has run big for most of the year since finishing 3rd behing Shimizu, ta…
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Akari Ota Holds Off Kenyan Sweep of Distance Titles at National Corporate Track and Field Championships

by Brett Larner

Following the 10000 m victories of Paul Tanui (Team Kyudenko) and Doricah Obare (Team Hitachi) a day earlier, two-time world junior steeplechase champion Jonathan Ndiku (Team Hitachi Butsuryu) and Grace Kimanzi (Team Starts) added to the Kenyan haul with 5000 m wins on the second day of the 2013 National Corporate Track and Field Championships.  In the men's race, 2010 World Cross-Country silver medalist Clement Langat (Team Subaru) took things out at a desultory pace, splitting 2:48 and 2:51 for the first two km, trailed by Ndiku, fellow Kenyans Charles Ndirangu (Team JFE Steel), Daniel Gitau (Team Fujitsu) and Patrick Muwaka (Team Aisan Kogyo) and just one Japanese man, Meiji University graduate Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Team Asahi Kasei).

Former Sera H.S. standout Ndirangu quickly lost patience with the state of things and took over with a 2:39 split for the third km, dropping all but Ndiku.  Ndirangu kept up the pressure with a 2:37 fourth km, but over the last lap h…
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2012 Japanese Olympic Trials - Middle and Long Distance Preview

by Brett Larner

Click here for JRN's sprints, hurdles and field events preview.

This weekend's 96th Japanese National Track & Field Championships in Osaka double as Japan's Olympic Trials for the 2012 London Olympics.  Any athlete holding an A-standard Olympic qualifying mark who wins his or her event will be guaranteed a place in London, with the remaining spots decided through federation consideration within the constraints of a maximum of three A-standard entrants or one B-standard entrant in any one event.  The complete Olympic team lineup for individual events will be announced on Monday following the Trials, meaning that the only time chasing that will be allowed after the Trials is by people already on the team in one event looking to double.  For most, there will be no other chance.

It's no secret that Japanese middle distance is far below the level of both its long distance and sprinting systems.  The extent to which that's due to athletes being pushed t…
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World Championships Day One Women's Track Results

2011 World Championships 
Women's 10000 m Final
Daegu, Korea, 8/27/11
click here for complete results

1. Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) - 30:48.98 - PB
2. Sally Kipyego (Kenya) - 30:50.04
3. Linet Masai (Kenya) - 30:53.59
4. Priscah Cherono (Kenya) - 30:56.43 - PB
5. Meselech Melkamu (Ethiopia) - 30:56.55
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14. Hikari Yoshimoto (Bukkyo Univ.) - 32:32.22
15. Kayo Sugihara (Team Denso) - 32:53.89
17. Megumi Kinukawa (Team Mizuno) - 34:08.37

Women's 3000 mSC Heat Two
Daegu, Korea, 8/27/11
click here for complete results

1. Sofia Assefa (Ethiopia) - 9:32.48 - Q
2. Lydia Rotich (Kenya) - 9:36.70 - Q
3. Sara Moreira (Portugal) - 9:36.97 - Q
4. Emma Coburn (U.S.A.) - 9:38.42 - Q
5. Lyubov Kharlamova (Russia) - 9:40.04 - q
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8. Minori Hayakari (Kyoto Koka AC) - 10:05.34
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World Championships Long Distance Preview

by Brett Larner

Japan's medal chances in the long distance events at the Daegu World Championships may be very slim at best, but the country is nevertheless sending a strong contingent including three national record holders and some of the best young talent to have emerged in recent years.  Chief among them are Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin), on the cusp of a national record in the last two years, and the resurgent Megumi Kinukawa (Team Mizuno), the women's 10000 m junior national record holder coached by Samuel Wanjiru's high school-era coach Takao Watanabe.

2011 World Championships Japanese Long Distance Team

Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin) - Men's 10000 m
2011 national champion, 10000 m
Born: Nov. 26, 1986 (24 yrs.)
PB: 27:38.25 (2009; all-time Japanese #3)
3000 m: 7:44.63 (2010; all-time Japanese #2)
5000 m: 13:23.57 (2006)

In university Sato was described by his competitors as a monster, breaking Hakone Ekiden stage records his first three years and just missing a …
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Takabayashi 1500 m PB in Belgium

2011 Flanders Cup Gentse Feesten Meeting
Gent, Belgium, 7/30/11 click here for complete results Men's 5000 m 1. Brian Olinger (U.S.A.) - 13:32.74 2. Arne Gabius (Germany) - 13:35.90 3. Philipp Bandi (Switzerland) - 13:36.89 4. Tsuyoshi Ugachi (Team Konica Minolta) - 13:38.92 5. Stephen Furst (U.S.A.) - 13:40.75 6. Naoki Okamoto (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 13:41.56 7. Chihiro Miyawaki (Team Toyota) - 13:45.97 8. Takuya Ishikawa (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 13:46.30 9. Kazuya Deguchi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 13:59.14 10. Mohamed Mohamed Ali (Netherlands) - 14:04.44
Women's 3000 m SC 1. Korene Hinds (Jamaica) - 9:38.07 2. Stephanie Garcia (U.S.A.) - 9:41.12 3. Lindsay Allen (U.S.A.) - 9:47.03 ----- 7. Minori Hayakari (Kyoto Koka AC) - 9:57.51
Men's 1500 m Heat 1 1. Andrew Bumbalough (U.S.A.) - 3:40.35 2. Ciaran O'Lionaird (Ireland) - 3:41.34 3. Brandon Bethke (U.S.A.) - 3:41.60 ----- 10. Yasuhiro Tago (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 3:44.16
Men's 1500 m Heat 2 1. Yusuke Takabayashi (Team Toyota) - 3:43.72 - P…
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Joensuu Games Results

2011 Joensuu Games
Loppukilpailu, Finland, 7/27/11
click here for complete results
Men's 5000 m
1. Lewis Korir (KEN) - 13:33.64
2. Tsuyoshi Ugachi (Team Konica Minolta) - 13:38.39
3. Yusuke Takabayashi (Team Toyota) - 13:53.50
4. Chihiro Miyawaki (Team Toyota) - 13:56.03
5. Kazuya Deguchi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 14:14.30

Women's 1500 m
1. Zoe Buckman (Australia) - 4:06.06
2. Erin Donohue (U.S.A.) - 4:07.04
3. Natalia Koreyvo (Finland) - 4:08.31
4. Karin Storbacka (Finland) - 4:13.66
5. Ayako Jinnouchi (Japan) - 4:14.70
6. Ruriko Kubo (Japan) - 4:15.88
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10. Minori Hayakari (Kyoto Koka AC) - 4:18.97
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Japanese Overseas Results

2011 Savo Games
Lapinlahti, Finland, 7/24/11
click here for complete results

Men's 3000 m
1. Yusuke Takabayashi (Team Toyota) - 7:55.98
2. Craig Miller (U.S.A.) - 7:56.72
3. Yasuhiro Tago (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 7:58.04
4. Tsuyoshi Ugachi (Team Konica Minolta) - 7:58.95
5. Chihiro Miyawaki (Team Toyota) - 7:59.23
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10. Kazuya Deguchi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 8:05.79

Women's 3000 m
1. Erin Donohue (U.S.A.) - 8:55.07
2. Viktoriia Pohoryselska (Ukraine) - 9:19.13
3. Minori Hayakari (Kyoto Koka AC) - 9:22.48
4. Janica Makela (Finland) - 9:35.37
5. Elina Lindgren (Finland) - 9:37.38

BMC Nike Grand Prix
Trafford, U.K., 7/23/11
Men's 3000 m A-Heat
1. James Wilkinson (U.K.) - 7:56.84
2. Sean Connolly (Ireland) - 7:57.21
3. Jonathan Taylor (U.K.) - 7:58.83
4. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Meiji Univ.) - 7:58.90
5. Luke Gunn (U.K.) - 8:00:19
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9. Takuya Fukatsu (Team Asahi Kasei) - 8:07.34
16. Masato Kihara (Team Kanebo) - 8:19.24

Race Results Weekly reports that women's 1500 m national reco…
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19th Asian Athletics Championships - Distance Preview (updated)

by Brett Larner

Update: Start lists for the first day of competition are available here.  National champion Yuki Sato is not running the 10000 m but is still entered for the 5000 m.

 The 2011 Asian Athletics Championships run July 7-10 in Kobe, Hyogo, the last major competition for many of the athletes before next month's World Championships in Daegu, Korea. Much of the domestic Japanese attention will be on one of the very first events of the Asian Championships, the men's 10000 m. Two of the top three from this year's Japanese National Championships men's 10000 m, Akinobu Murasawa (Tokai Univ.) and Tsuyoshi Ugachi (Team Konica Minolta) are on the entry list and hunting for a World Championships qualifying mark, Ugachi to improve his 27:41.97 B-standard mark to the A level and Murasawa to at least get under 28 for the first time. The absence of a Kenyan distance squad from Qatar means that the mostly-Ethiopian team running for Bahrain will be the Japanese men's ma…
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2011 Japanese Nationals - Day One and Two Results

by Brett Larner
On the first two days of this weekend's Japanese National Track & Field Championships in Kumagaya, Saitama, five athletes secured guaranteed places on the Japanese national team for this summer's Daegu World Championships. Eight more had the right combination of placing and time to stand a chance of being selected for the team. Below is a summary of results from all event finals held on Day One and Day Two.
In noteworthy performances apart from the men's and women's 10000 m:
-The men's 200 m lived up to expectations as one of the best events of the meet. Beijing Olympics bronze medalist Shinji Takahira (Team Fujitsu) came back from a long injury setback to win the final in 20.49. 2nd and 3rd place Hitoshi Saito (Team Sunmesse) and Yuichi Kobayashi (Hosei Univ.) were both timed at 20.62 and are very likely to join Takahira in Daegu. 2010 world junior champion Shota Iizuka (Chuo Univ.) was 4th in 20.64, just missing a place on the team but with …
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Kitaoka Marathon Silver at Asian Games

by Brett Larner

With the emergence of India's superb double track medalists Preeja Sreeharan and Kavita Raut and nearly all of the remaining medals in the men's and women's distance medals going to Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes running in the colors of Qatar and Bahrain, Japanese athletes were virtually shut out of the distance medals at the 2010 Asian Games in Guanzhou, China. In just his second marathon, Yukihiro Kitaoka (Team NTN) delivered one of Japan's only distance medals of the Games, outkicking the defending gold medalist, Kenyan Richard Yatich running as Mubarak Hussan Shami of Qatar, in the final meters of the race to take silver behind an outstanding if unsportsmanlike gold medal run from South Korea's Youngjun Ji. In taking silver Kitaoka likely earned himself one of the five spots up for grabs on the Japanese marathon squad for next summer's World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

By contrast the Japanese women marathoners came up empty-handed fo…
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