Hokuren Distance Challenge Kicks Off in Shibetsu

by Brett Larner

Rain and wind greeted the first in the 2013 Hokuren Distance Challenge series June 26 in Shibetsu, Hokkaido, combining with a shortage of top-tier domestic names to produce few noteworthy results. NTN Kenyan Edward Waweru's 7:47.02 win the men's 3000 m was the most competitive run of the day, ranking him just outside the top ten worldwide this year with the Koichi Morishita-coached Jeremiah Karemi (Kenya/Team Toyota Kyushu) just behind in 7:48.31. 2012 national 5000 m champion Kazuya Deguchi (Team Asahi Kasei) was 4th in 8:06.39.

Little-known William Malel (Kenya/Team Honda), brought to Japan last year by coach Stephen Mayaka to run for tiny Sozo Gakuin University before jumping ship for the corporate leagues this year, had a win the men's 5000 m A-heat over the likes of 2011 World XC silver medalist Paul Tanui (Kenya/Team Kyudenko).

This year's 1500 m national champion Yuki Akimoto (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) partially redeemed his 4:02.32 winning time at the National Championships earlier this month with a 3:47.21 win in Shibetsu, while Payton Jordan 10000 m 3rd-place Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo) turned in the key women's result of the day, winning the 5000 m A-heat in 15:49.19.

The Hokuren Distance Challenge continues Saturday in Fukagawa with an emphasis on 10000 m. Two more meets follow in early July.

2013 Hokuren Distance Challenge Shibetsu Meet Highlights
Shibetsu, Hokkaido, 6/26/13
click here for complete results

Men's 5000 m A-Heat
1. William Malel (Kenya/Team Honda) - 13:39.01
2. Johnson Kiumbani (Kenya/Team Konica Minolta) - 13:40.29
3. Agato Yashin Hasen (Ethiopia/Team Chuo Hatsujo) - 13:43.53
4. Yuya Konishi (Team Toyota Kyushu) - 13:45.26
5. Macharia Ndirangu (Kenya/Team Aichi Seiko) - 13:46.53

Women's 5000 m A-Heat
1. Ayumi Hagiwara (Team Uniqlo) - 15:49.19
2. Yuka Ando (Team Tokinosumika) - 15:52.24
3. Misato Tanaka (Team Sysmex) - 16:00.30
4. Satomi Ueta (Team Toto) - 16:02.56
5. Michi Numata (Team Toyota Jidoshokki) - 16:05.26

Men's 3000 m
1. Edward Waweru (Kenya/Team NTN) - 7:47.02
2. Jeremiah Karemi (Kenya/Team Toyota Kyushu) - 7:48.31
3. Titus Waroru (Kenya/Team Toyota Kyushu) - 8:05.33
4. Kazuya Deguchi (Team Asahi Kasei) - 8:06.39
5. Hiroyoshi Umegae (Team NTN) - 8:09.37

Women's 3000 m A-Heat
1. Yuki Mitsunobu (Team Kyocera) - 9:14.37
2. Sairi Maeda (Bukkyo Univ.) - 9:15.58
3. Miho Shimizu (Team Hokuren) - 9:16.21
4. Sally Chepyego (Kenya/Team Kyudenko) - 9:16.88
5. Mai Ito (Team Otsuka Seiyaku) - 9:18.92

Men's 1500 m
1. Yuki Akimoto (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 3:47.21
2. Masahiro Takaya (Team JR Higashi Nihon) - 3:47.37
3. Yusuke Takabayashi (Team Toyota) - 3:48.64

Women's 1500 m
1. Mary Waithera (Kenya/Team Toyota Jidoshokki) - 4:22.64
2. Haruka Mochizuki (Team Yutaka Giken) - 4:24.83
3. Miyuki Gokan (Team Toyota Jidoshokki) - 4:25.12

(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

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M.I.A.

Sorry to have been silent for a while. JRN associate editor Mika Tokairin was in Taiwan for Ironman Penghu, where she won her age group to qualify for Kona for the first time. Right after that we moved for the first time in 14 years, and immediately after that I headed to the U.S. to help Keita Sato get settled in his new training base in Flagstaff. We'll be resuming normal operations shortly with a big roundup of results over the last 2 weeks. Brett Larner

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