Wanjiru World Junior Lead, Kiryu Undefeated in 200 m as Records Fall in Second Half of National High School Championships
by Brett Larner
After winning the 1500 m in 4:09.90 to find herself ranked 5th in the world among juniors over that distance, Aomori Yamada High School's Rosemary Wanjiru was back in the 3000 m with the performance of the meet on the final day of the Japanese National High School Track and Field Championships in Oita, outclassing her competition by over fifteen seconds to win in a personal best, meet record and world junior-leading 8:49.32. With her nearest competition, Sendai Ikuei High School ringer Mariam Waithira just holding off top-ranked Japanese runner Miyuki Uehara (Kagoshima Joshi H.S.) for 2nd in 9:04.68, Wanjiru continued a steady progression over the last years that suggests she is a prime candidate to follow in the footsteps of Aomori Yamada's most famous Kenyan graduate, two-time Olympian Lucy Wangui Kabuu.
Plenty of other events over the second half of the championships likewise saw meet records, making this year one of the most competitive on record. Most no…
After winning the 1500 m in 4:09.90 to find herself ranked 5th in the world among juniors over that distance, Aomori Yamada High School's Rosemary Wanjiru was back in the 3000 m with the performance of the meet on the final day of the Japanese National High School Track and Field Championships in Oita, outclassing her competition by over fifteen seconds to win in a personal best, meet record and world junior-leading 8:49.32. With her nearest competition, Sendai Ikuei High School ringer Mariam Waithira just holding off top-ranked Japanese runner Miyuki Uehara (Kagoshima Joshi H.S.) for 2nd in 9:04.68, Wanjiru continued a steady progression over the last years that suggests she is a prime candidate to follow in the footsteps of Aomori Yamada's most famous Kenyan graduate, two-time Olympian Lucy Wangui Kabuu.
Plenty of other events over the second half of the championships likewise saw meet records, making this year one of the most competitive on record. Most no…