by Brett Larner
With 100 m national champion Ryota Yamagata (Keio Univ.) off the team with a hamstring injury few expected the young Japanese men's 4x100 m relay team to make the final on the last night of the Moscow World Championships, but strong runs and impeccable exchanges from high school star Yoshihide Kiryu (Rakunan H.S.), Yamagata's replacement Kenji Fujimitsu (Team Zenrin), third man Kei Takase (Team Fujitsu) and 200 m national champion Shota Iizuka (Chuo Univ.) on anchor saw Japan leading the U.S. partway through the anchor leg of their heat before finishing 2nd in a season best 38.23 to advance. Things went less smoothly in the final where alternate Fujimitsu started late, the choppy exchange from Kiryu that resulted putting Japan behind. Iizuka crossed the line 7th in 38.39, but the team was later elevated to 6th following Great Britain's disqualification. For a young, inexperienced team without one of its strongest members or the pressure of expectations it was a good result that spoke to the continued development of Japanese sprinting. Two more years for this team and they should be looking good.
Moscow World Championships Day Nine
Moscow, 8/18/13
click here for complete results
Men's 4x100 m Relay Final
1. Jamaica - 37.36
2. U.S.A. - 37.66
3. Canada - 37.92
4. Germany - 38.04
5. Netherlands - 38.37
6. Japan - 38.39
7. Trinidad and Tobago - 38.57
DQ - Great Britain
Men's 4x100 m Relay Heat Two
1. U.S.A. - 38.06 - Q
2. Japan - 38.23 - Q
3. Ukraine - 38.57
4. Barbados - 38.94 - NR
5. China - 38.95
6. France - 38.97
7. Hong Kong - 39.10
(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
With 100 m national champion Ryota Yamagata (Keio Univ.) off the team with a hamstring injury few expected the young Japanese men's 4x100 m relay team to make the final on the last night of the Moscow World Championships, but strong runs and impeccable exchanges from high school star Yoshihide Kiryu (Rakunan H.S.), Yamagata's replacement Kenji Fujimitsu (Team Zenrin), third man Kei Takase (Team Fujitsu) and 200 m national champion Shota Iizuka (Chuo Univ.) on anchor saw Japan leading the U.S. partway through the anchor leg of their heat before finishing 2nd in a season best 38.23 to advance. Things went less smoothly in the final where alternate Fujimitsu started late, the choppy exchange from Kiryu that resulted putting Japan behind. Iizuka crossed the line 7th in 38.39, but the team was later elevated to 6th following Great Britain's disqualification. For a young, inexperienced team without one of its strongest members or the pressure of expectations it was a good result that spoke to the continued development of Japanese sprinting. Two more years for this team and they should be looking good.
Moscow World Championships Day Nine
Moscow, 8/18/13
click here for complete results
Men's 4x100 m Relay Final
1. Jamaica - 37.36
2. U.S.A. - 37.66
3. Canada - 37.92
4. Germany - 38.04
5. Netherlands - 38.37
6. Japan - 38.39
7. Trinidad and Tobago - 38.57
DQ - Great Britain
Men's 4x100 m Relay Heat Two
1. U.S.A. - 38.06 - Q
2. Japan - 38.23 - Q
3. Ukraine - 38.57
4. Barbados - 38.94 - NR
5. China - 38.95
6. France - 38.97
7. Hong Kong - 39.10
(c) 2013 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
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