Skip to main content

Kawauchi Scores Runaway Win, Yiu Sets National Record at Takashimadaira 20 km (updated)

http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/1554422.html
http://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/1554651.html

translated and edited by Brett Larner
photo by STITCHrunner

1430 people ran in the 40th anniversary Takashimadaira Road Race 20 km on Oct. 18 on a 5 km loop course in northwestern Tokyo.  Women's winner Kit Ching Yiu (Hong Kong), coached by Japan's Shinetsu Murao, set a national record 1:10:49 to win, at least her third national record on Japanese soil in the last year.  In the men's race invited athlete Yuki Kawauchi (28, Saitama Pref. Gov't) broke away on the last lap for a solo win in 1:00:57 just a week after setting a course record at the Kitakami Marathon.  His next race is the Nov. 1 TCS New York City Marathon, followed by the Dec. 6 Fukuoka International Marathon where he hopes to secure a place on the Rio Olympic team.

Kawauchi ran well in warm temperatures of 23 degrees, keeping his cool in a lead pack of five until 15.5 km just into the fourth and final lap.  "I picked it up a little and nobody could go with me," he said.  In just 4.5 km he opened a lead of 28 seconds over runner-up Koichi Miyashita (Komazawa University).

At the end of December last year Kawauchi sprained his ankle, leading to problems with his calf muscles and elsewhere.  He has only really started to recover in the last two months, saying, "I'm only back to about 85% right now."  Even so, bearing down in the home straight he told himself, "Well, let's at least break 61 minutes," before launching his powerful last kick.

As a tune-up for his upcoming marathons it was a solid performance.  "The last 5 km were the fastest, so it was a good race," he said.  "In New York I want to make top 10 at the absolute least.  Masato Imai (31, Team Toyota Kyushu) was 7th there last year, so hopefully better than that.  In Fukuoka I don't want to just be the top Japanese man.  I'll be going as far as I can to win."

40th Takashimadaira Road Race
Takashimadaira, Tokyo, 10/18/15
click here for complete results

Men's 20 km
1. Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) - 1:00:57
2. Koichi Miyashita (Komazawa Univ.) - 1:01:25
3. Kento Ando (Tokai Univ.) - 1:01:30
4. Kentaro Inoue (Komazawa Univ.) - 1:01:48
5. Kei Takeshita (Teikyo Univ.) - 1:01:54

Women's 20 km
1. Kit Ching Yiu (Hong Kong) - 1:10:49 - NR

photo (c) 2015 @tetsujiman, all rights reserved

Comments

Anonymous said…
He doesn't allow himself enough recovery!

Most-Read This Week

3 Athletes Provisionally Suspended After Positive Drug Tests at Asian Games (updated)

The International Testing Agency announced on Oct. 2 that provisional suspensions have been imposed on two athletes, Kazakhstan's Aiana Bolatbekkyzy in track and field, and Tajikistan's Issamjon Sharifov in tennis, after they tested positive for prohibited substances at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Aichi. Bolatbekkyzy, 19, tested positive for the steroid drostanolone in a sample collected during an in-competition test at the Games. A diuretic drug was found in the sample collected from Sharifov, 23. Update:  On Oct. 3 a third athlete, kurash wrestler Yash Kumar Chauhan  of India, was provisionally suspended after an in-competition test detected the steroid metandienone, the metabolic modulator GW1516, and the stimulant mephentermine in his system. source article: https://www.sanspo.com/article/20261002-X4FJLT5MMZKFND6WXPOESAKETQ/ translated by Brett Larner

Endo, Nishikawa and Yamakawa Announce Corporate Team Changes

The SG Holdings men's corporate team announced on Oct. 1 that long-distance athletes Hyuga Endo and Yuichiro Nishikawa have joined its roster after leaving the Sumitomo Denko team. Endo, 28, won the Junior Olympics 3000 m while at Koriyama Nishi J.H.S. before going on to Gakuho Ishikawa H.S. where he was the the top Japanese placer in the 5000 m at the National High School Championships 2 years in a row. After graduating from Gakuho Ishikawa he joined the Sumitomo Denko team, winning the National Championships 5000 m in 2021. He won gold at the 2023 Asian Championships and represented Japan at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships. "I will give everything I have as part of the team and work hard toward helping it win the New Year Ekiden," he said of his new environment. Of his personal goals he said, "I want to focus on the 5000 m and reach new levels to compete internationally." Nishikawa, 28, was a member of Tokai University 's winning teams at the H...