by Brett Larner
Women's 10000 m
Yukiko Akaba went out according to expectation despite having come down with a fever, running in the top four until this historic race's fast pace swallowed her whole. She soon fell back and ran most of the race together with national record holder Yoko Shibui, who was surprisingly passive and never made a move to stay with the lead pack. Japan's third woman, 3000 m, 5000 m and half marathon national record holder Kayoko Fukushi, ran at the back of the lead pack, passing 5000 m in approximately 15:09, far faster than her 3rd place finish time in the 5000 m at June's National Track and Field Championships. She began to struggle between 5000 and 6000 m, but until 9000 m it looked likely that Shibui's national record of 30:48.89 would be in danger. Fukushi was in the end unable to hang on, jogging the home stretch and finishing 11th in a disappointing 31:01.14. Shibui was 17th in 31:31.13, while Akaba finished 20th in 32:00.37.
Women's 3000 m SC
National record holder Minori Hayakari finished 16th of 17 runners in the first heat of the women's 3000 m steeplechase, failing to advance to the finals. Hayakari ran 9:49.70, well off the national record of 9:33.93 she set last month. Initially she seemed to be following a similar plan to her national record race, starting conservatively and advancing up to the pack delineating 10th place, but in the final kilometer she showed signs of fatigue and dropped back, unable to keep with others launching their final kicks. Afterwards the 35 year-old veteran told reporters, "I don't want the world to leave me behind," indicating that this was not her final competition.
Men`s 400 m Hurdles
National record holder Dai Tamesue ran an aggressive race in the fourth heat, leading the field into the home stretch only to be outkicked by three runners, finishing 4th in 49.82. Although disappointed,Tamesue apparently did not realize he had not advanced to the next round until told so by an interviewer. This was likely Tamesue's final race. Kenji Narisako ran a slightly faster time of 49.63 in the first heat but finished 5th and did not advance.
Men's 100 m
Both 2008 National Champion Naoki Tsukahara and four-time Olympian Nobuharu Asahara advanced through the first round of heats, Asahara 4th in the second heat in 10.25 and Tsukahara 2nd in the tenth heat in 10.39. In the quarter-final, Tsukahara advanced to the semi-final after finishing 3rd in the first heat in a season best time of 10.23. Asahara was eliminated when he was last in the 3rd heat after running 10.37.
(c) 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
Women's 10000 m
Yukiko Akaba went out according to expectation despite having come down with a fever, running in the top four until this historic race's fast pace swallowed her whole. She soon fell back and ran most of the race together with national record holder Yoko Shibui, who was surprisingly passive and never made a move to stay with the lead pack. Japan's third woman, 3000 m, 5000 m and half marathon national record holder Kayoko Fukushi, ran at the back of the lead pack, passing 5000 m in approximately 15:09, far faster than her 3rd place finish time in the 5000 m at June's National Track and Field Championships. She began to struggle between 5000 and 6000 m, but until 9000 m it looked likely that Shibui's national record of 30:48.89 would be in danger. Fukushi was in the end unable to hang on, jogging the home stretch and finishing 11th in a disappointing 31:01.14. Shibui was 17th in 31:31.13, while Akaba finished 20th in 32:00.37.
Women's 3000 m SC
National record holder Minori Hayakari finished 16th of 17 runners in the first heat of the women's 3000 m steeplechase, failing to advance to the finals. Hayakari ran 9:49.70, well off the national record of 9:33.93 she set last month. Initially she seemed to be following a similar plan to her national record race, starting conservatively and advancing up to the pack delineating 10th place, but in the final kilometer she showed signs of fatigue and dropped back, unable to keep with others launching their final kicks. Afterwards the 35 year-old veteran told reporters, "I don't want the world to leave me behind," indicating that this was not her final competition.
Men`s 400 m Hurdles
National record holder Dai Tamesue ran an aggressive race in the fourth heat, leading the field into the home stretch only to be outkicked by three runners, finishing 4th in 49.82. Although disappointed,Tamesue apparently did not realize he had not advanced to the next round until told so by an interviewer. This was likely Tamesue's final race. Kenji Narisako ran a slightly faster time of 49.63 in the first heat but finished 5th and did not advance.
Men's 100 m
Both 2008 National Champion Naoki Tsukahara and four-time Olympian Nobuharu Asahara advanced through the first round of heats, Asahara 4th in the second heat in 10.25 and Tsukahara 2nd in the tenth heat in 10.39. In the quarter-final, Tsukahara advanced to the semi-final after finishing 3rd in the first heat in a season best time of 10.23. Asahara was eliminated when he was last in the 3rd heat after running 10.37.
(c) 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
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