Skip to main content

Muia Wins Japanese Debut in Setagaya

by Brett Larner

2017 Kenyan Prisons XC champion Bernard Muia (Team Toyota Boshoku) made a strong Japanese debut at Saturday's Setagaya Time Trials meet in western Tokyo, outrunning teammate Amos Kirui to win the 3000 m A-heat in a PB 7:50.68.  Kirui also set a PB, running 7:51.48.  Taking 3rd, former 1500 m and 5000 m national champion Yuichiro Ueno (DeNA RC) was a fraction of a section of his university-era PB dating back to 2006 as he ran 7:58.03.

Kenyan teammates also went 1-2 in the women's 3000 m A-heat.  Rosemary Wanjiru (Team Starts) ran one of the better times of her career to win in 8:51.61.  Her teammate Grace Kimanzi was well back in 2nd in 9:12.45, with high schooler Shuri Ogasawara (Yamanashi Gakuin Prep H.S.) not far behind in 3rd in 9:18.37.

The men's 5000 m A-heat turned out to be a Kenya-Ethiopia duel.  Up front, Alfred Ngeno (Team Nissin Shokuhin) took 1st in 13:35.29 less than half a second ahead of Abiyot Abinet (Team Yachiyo Kogyo).  Futher back, Rodgers Chumo Kwemoi (Team Aisan Kogyo) edged Kassa Mekashaw (Team Yachiyo Kogyo) by a similar margin for 3rd in 13:40.25.  Continuing an apparent return to the track after a stalled transition to the marathon, former national champion Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin) was the top Japanese man at 5th in 13:43.44.

Setagaya Time Trials
Kinuta Park Field, Setagaya, Tokyo, 4/8/17
click here for complete results

Men's 3000 m Heat 5
1. Bernard Muia (Kenya/Toyota Boshoku) - 7:50.68 - PB
2. Amos Kirui (Kenya/Toyota Boshoku) - 7:51.48
3. Yuichiro Ueno (DeNA RC) - 7:58.03
4. Kei Fumimoto (Kanebo) - 8:07.96
5. Victor Mutai (Kenya/Kanebo) - 8:09.18

Women's 3000 m Heat 3
1. Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya/Starts) - 8:51.61
2. Grace Kimanzi (Kenya/Starts) - 9:12.45
3. Shuri Ogasawara (Yamanashi Gakuin Prep H.S.) - 9:18.37
4. Nana Sato (Starts) - 9:18.95
5. Kyoka Nakagawa (Japan Post Group) - 9:21.75

Men's 5000 m Heat 16
1. Alfred Ngeno (Kenya/Nissin Shokuhin) - 13:35.29
2. Abiyot Abinet (Ethiopia/Yachiyo Kogyo) - 13:35.74
3. Rodgers Chumo Kwemoi (Kenya/Aisan Kogyo) - 13:40.25
4. Kassa Mekashaw (Ethiopia/Yachiyo Kogyo) - 13:41.05
5. Yuki Sato (Nissin Shokuhin) - 13:43.44

© 2017 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

April's Kasumigaura Marathon Canceled

The organizing committee of the 31st Kasumigaura Marathon and International Blind Marathon has been working hard to develop safety and health protocols adequate to mitigate the risk of spreading the coronavirus at the event. But with increased case numbers in recent months and a number of prefectures remaining under an extended state of emergency declaration, the future outlook for the organizers' ability to hold the race safely remains uncertain. As a result, the decision has been made to cancel this year's race, originally scheduled for Apr. 18. The popular Kasumigaura Walking event held in tandem with the marathon has also been canceled due to the pandemic situation. We thank you for your understanding.  Translator's note: The Kasumigaura Marathon had 10,096 finishers in its last running in 2019. Its cancelation follows those of March's Tokushima Marathon and April's Nagano Marathon  earlier this week. The only major spring Japanese marathons still on the calen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Olympic Trials Winner Nakamura a DNS for Lake Biwa

After experiencing mild pain in the outer ankle of his left foot and being diagnosed with peroneal tendonitis, Tokyo Olympics men's marathon trials winner Shogo Nakamura  (Fujitsu) has made the decision to withdraw from the Feb. 28 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon . Nakamura will take a few days off to rest and plans to resume light jogging next week. However, in combination with not meeting his performance goals at an intensive training camp last month, he has decided to err on the side of caution and withdraw. Comments from Nakamura: Lake Biwa was going to be my first race since the New Year Ekiden and my first marathon in a long time, so I'd been looking forward to it. The pain has already faded and doesn't look like it will get in the way of training, but after looking carefully at the situation we decided not to risk more serious injury and to withdraw in favor of being ready for the Tokyo Olympics.  I apologize to everyone who had been expecting to see me run. My first pri...
1 comment
Read more