Kaseda's Silver Leads Japanese Results at World University Cross Country Championships

Japan dominated the 2018 World University Cross Country Championships Saturday in St. Gallen, Switzerland, taking the overall gold, women's team gold, men's team silver and one individual silver.

That silver came courtesy of Rika Kaseda (Meijo Univ.), who finished 5 seconds behind winner Caterina Granz (Germany) in the women's 10 km to lead four Japanese women into the top six for team gold. 2017 World University Games half marathon gold medalist Yuki Munehisa (Tokyo Nogyo Univ.) was 6th overall, Japan's 4th scoring team member.

【#世界大学クロカン】
女子レース速報
加世田選手(名城大)銀メダル獲得🎉
女子団体 金メダル獲得🎊

2位　加世田梨花(名城大)
4位　五島莉乃(中央大)
5位　関谷夏希(大東文化大)
6位　棟久由貴(東京農業大)
13位 棚池穂乃香(京都産業大)
15位 岡田佳子(松山大)#青春に駆けろ pic.twitter.com/sLXoBWMUZR

— 日本学生陸上競技連合 (@iuauj) April 7, 2018

The men came up empty-handed for individual medals, Sota Watanabe (Toyo Univ.) taking the top Japanese spot at 4th overall with teammate Yohei Urano (Koku Gakuin Univ.) close behind in 6th. South Africa scored two individual medals to take the team gold, Japan just two points behind in the silver position. With the World University Cross Country Championships also offering a combined women's and men's country award Japan easily took the title of world's top university cross country nation, its main rival for that honor a conspicuous absence.

【#世界大学クロカン】
レースは中間地点です！渡邉選手(東洋大)が先頭で激走中です‼#青春に駆けろ pic.twitter.com/pehD8CSGiR

— 日本学生陸上競技連合 (@iuauj) April 7, 2018

FISU World University Cross Country Championships

St. Gallen, Switzerland, 4/7/18
click here for complete results

Women's 10 km - Individual
1. Caterina Granz (Germany) - 34:53.4
2. Rika Kaseda (Japan) - 34:58.8
3. Soukaina Atanane (Morocco) - 35:13.4
4. Rino Goshima (Japan) - 35:28.6
5. Natsuki Sekiya (Japan) - 35:36.8
-----
6. Yuki Munehisa (Japan) - 35:37.3
15. Honoka Tanaike (Japan) - 36:18.8
16. Kako Okado (Japan) - 36:25.0

Women's 10 km - Team
1. Japan - 17
2. Germany - 49
3. Italy - 51
4. Australia - 65
5. Canada - 80

Men's 10 km - Individual
1. El Hocine Zourkane (Algeria) - 30:21.0
2. Alfred Mokopane (South Africa) - 30:30.7
3. Thamsanqa Khonco (South Africa) - 30:33.5
4. Sota Watanabe (Japan) - 30:39.3
5. Hicham Amghar (Morocoo) - 30:46.2
-----
6. Yuhei Urano (Japan) - 30:50.1
12. Kazuya Nishiyama (Japan) - 31:05.6
13. Junnosuke Matsuo (Japan) - 31:12.1
17. Ryuya Kajitani (Japan) - 31:28.6
21. Shunsuke Imanishi (Japan) - 31:43.3

Men's 10 km - Team Results
1. South Africa - 33
2. Japan - 35
3. Morocco - 40
4. Algeria - 53
5. Australia - 106

Overall Country Scoring
1. Japan - 16
2. Morocco - 35
3. Australia - 48
4. Italy - 76
5. Algeria - 81
6. Canada - 84
7. France - 85
8. South Africa - 96
9. Switzerland - 146
10. Argentina - 194

© 2018 Brett Larner, all rights reserved