For the time being I'll be using this post for English commentary on today's East Japan Jitsugyodan Ekiden Championships. Reload article to see updates. Race broadcast starts at 1:55 p.m. Japan time. Click here to watch TBS' broadcast online.
Back in Japan for the first time in 32 years and representing 60% of the world's population, with more athletes competing across all sports than at the Olympics, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are already underway. Athletics competition starts tomorrow and runs through Tuesday the 29th. Some of the biggest names on the entry list include: Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage (SRI) - men's javelin throw - 2026 World Ultimate Championships gold and 2026 Diamond League champion Haruka Kitaguchi (JPN) - women's javelin throw - 2026 World Ultimate Championships and 2024 Paris Olympics gold Birhanu Balew (BRN) - men's 5000 m/10000 m - 2026 Diamond League 5000 m champion Sanghyeok Woo (KOR) - men's high jump - 2025 Tokyo World Championships silver Hayato Katsuki (JPN) - men's marathon race walk - 2025 Tokyo World Championships bronze Abderrahman Samba (QAT) - men's 400 mH - 2025 Tokyo World Championships bronze Jiale Zhang (CHN) - women's hammer throw - 2025 Tokyo W...
Comments
Mitsui's Yamashita doing all the work up front in the women's race, but everyone is still together.
2.JAL
3. Fujitsu
4. Honda
5. Kanebo
6. Konica Minolta
7. Komori
8. Yakult
9. JR Higashi
2nd stage 15.1 km
Yuki Sato (Nissin) leads pack of 5. WC marathoner Satoshi Irifune (Kanebo) running 6th. Matsumiya (KonMin) 5th.
2. Sek. Kag.
3. Dai. Sei.
4. Mits. Sum.
5. Nihon Chemi.
Universal Entertainment (Aruze)'s Felista Wanjugu leading.
Aoyama (ToyJid) way out front. Tanaka and Wanjugu together for 2-3.
2. Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo
3. Nihon Chemicon
4. Univ.Ent.
5. SekisuiKag
6. Shimamura
7. Starts
8. Hokuren
9. Daiichi Seimei
10. Shiseido
Hitomi Niiya (ToyJid) has big lead. Chased by Ohira (MitSum), Akaba (Hokuren).
Akaba already moved up from 8th to 5th. Less than 10 sec to Ohira (2nd).
2nd - Ohira, Mitsui Sumitomo
3rd - Nasukawa, Univ. Ent.
2nd Honda - Ishikawa
3rd KonMin - Matsumiya
Irifune (Kanebo) leads 2nd pack, Fujitsu out of contact.
Foreigner stage. Sato hands off to Gideon Ngatuny. Honda's Yacob Jarso getting ready.
Konica Minolta 2nd.
JAL 3rd.
4th Tokyo Denryoku.
5th Honda.
Yacob Jarso (Honda) going after Ngatuny.
Nojiri dropped off chase pack. Akaba and Saitoh battling.
2. Mits. Sum. +0:26
3. Univ. Ent. +0:30
4. Hokuren +0:59
5. Shimamura +1:07
6. Daiichi Seimei +1:20
Philes Ongori is away. Good chance for Hokuren to take the lead.
Whoa, Ongori just squeezes by for the lead.
Wakita, Sahaku, Osaki etc. on 5th stage.
Gideon leads by a minute and a half. Jarso doing his best.
26 min guy Ndambiri (Komori) in 8th, has passed 5 people, about to take Subaru. Njenga (Yakult) close behind.
Gideon handing off to 28:00 10k guy Satoru Kitamura.
3rd JAL +1;44
4th KonMIn+1:46
Kanebo 5th - pro debut of univ. 1/2 mar record holder Masato Kihara.
Shinden Kogyo 15th, 15 sec. behind Press. Top 14 make New Year Ekiden.
Ikegami running for Honda.
1. Toyota Jidoshoki
2. Hokuren +0:37
3. Mits. Sumi. + 0:47
4. Univ. Ent. +0:51
5. Dai. Sei. +1:25
No Yoshimi Ozaki for DaiSei.
1. Nissin Shokuhin
2. Honda +1:51
3. Konica Minolta +1:58
4. JAL +2:07
5. Kanebo +4:48
6. Yakult +4:50
7. Tokyo Denryoku +4:51
Shinden 14th, Press 15th +26 seconds behind Shinden.
2. Hokuren - 2:20:38
3. Universal Ent. - 2:20:56
4. Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo - 2:21:11
Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo loses 9-yr winning streak. First East Japan win for Toyota Jidoshoki.
Nissin Shokuhin 2:08 guy Yuzo Onishi running 6th leg - 10.6 km. Safe lead over Honda. Konica Minolta gaining on Honda.
2nd - Honda +1:57
3rd - Konica Minolta +2:00
4th - JAL +3:02
5th - Kanebo +5:18
6th - Tokyo Denryoku +6:17
7th - Subaru - 6:34
8th - JR Higashi - +6:53
9th - Yakult - +6:53
2. Honda - 3:50:05
3. Konica Minolta - 3:50:22
4. JAL Ground Service - 3:52:24
5. Kanebo - 3:55:13
6. Subaru - 3:55:47
7. Tokyo Denryoku - 3:55:48
8. JR Higashi Nihon - 3:56:02
9. Fujitsu - 3:56:13
And that's all for today.