japan running news

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20130515-OHT1T00093.htm

translated by Brett Larner

Hosei University announced on May 15 that ekiden assistant coach Tomoo Tsubota, 35, has been promoted to the team's head coach position. Previous head coach Michihiko Narita, 56, moved to the assistant director's office in April.

Tsubota joined the Konica Minolta team in 2000 after graduating from Hosei, running the 10000 m at the 2003 World Championships.  Since 2010 he has been acting as assistant coach at Hosei on special assignment from the Konica Minolta corporation.

by Brett Larner

Team Fujitsu anchor Ryuji Matsushita won a spectacular three-way sprint finish over Team Nissin Shokuhin's Yuzo Onishi and Team Asahi Kasei's Tomoya Adachi to bring Fujitsu home in 4:51:55 to its first New Year Ekiden win in ten years on a windy Jan. 1 morning in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture. Both Nissin Shokuhin and Asahi Kasei clocked 4:51:56, with Matsushita a step ahead and Onishi outleaning Adachi at the line.

Team Fujitsu ran in the second pack for the first three of the 100 km ekiden's seven stages. Former marathon national record holder Atsushi Fujita started the 22.3 km fourth stage in 4th place, passing all three runners ahead of him but being outkicked by one second by Team Komori Corp.'s Keita Akiba. Akiba clocked the stage-best performance in 1:03:04, with Fujita taking a creditable stage-3rd best, putting Team Fujitsu in 2nd place.

Team Fujitsu's 5th stage runner Takayuki Ota likewise clocked a stage-3rd best, running 47:42 for the uphill 1…