Corporate League Runner Struck by Car During Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden

One of the highlights of the new year, the Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden took place Jan. 27, with the Mazda corporate team winning the open division for the fourth year in a row. Including the open, municipal and high school divisions a total of 46 teams took part in the Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden's 82nd running, covering 84.4 km in seven stages starting in front of Ube City Hall, passing the Yamaguchi Prefectural Government offices and finishing in front of Shunan City Hall.

Mazda's Shiferaw Bekele set a new stage record of 43:35 on the 15.1 km First Stage, outrunning the Chudenko team's lead runner Amos Kipruto by 3 seconds and establishing a lead that was never broken all the way to the finish. In the high school division, 2018 National High School Ekiden champion Kurashiki H.S. of Okayama won for the second-straight year, with the Sera T&F Association team winning the municipal division for the first time thanks in part to stage record runs by its second man John Mwaniki and 17-year-old anchor Rintaro Kajiyama, who covered the 11.1 km Seventh Stage in 32:05.

Running in 2nd place on the final stage, Chudenko anchor Daisuke Koyama was struck from behind by a compact car midway through the stage. The car, driven by a man in his 80s, knocked Koyama down. An eyewitness described the accident, saying, "There was a big bang, so there's no doubt he hit him. The runner fell and didn't move."

Bleeding from a head injury, Koyama was unable to continue the race. He was taken to a hospital by an ambulance where an examination revealed no broken bones or serious injuries. According to police the driver apparently crossed out of his lane before making contact with Koyama. They are investigating further. A spokesperson from the race organizers commented, "We did everything we could to ensure a safe race, but it is extremely unfortunate that there was a traffic accident that prevented an athlete and team from finishing."

82nd Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden

Yamaguchi, 1/27/19
46 teams, 7 stages, 84.4 km
complete results

Top Team Performances
Open
1. Mazda - 4:09:31
2. JFE Steel - 4:14:17
3. Sanyo Tokushu Seiko - 4:17:05
-----
DNF - Chudenko

High School
1. Kurashiki H.S. - 4:19:09
2. Saikyo H.S. - 4:20:31
3. Nishiwaki Kogyo H.S. - 4:21:17

Municipal
1. Sera T&F Assoc. - 4:17:11 - CR

Top Individual Stage Performances
First Stage - 15.1 km - Bekele Shiferaw (Mazda) - 43:35 - CR
Second Stage - 11.3 km - John Mwaniki (Sera T&F Assoc.) - 31:56 - CR
Third Stage - 11.9 km - Gaku Hirose (Takeda Yakuhin) - 35:37
Fourth Stage - 10.4 km - Shoya Osaki (Chudenko) - 31:00
Fifth Stage - 8.7 km - Yusei Tsutsumi (JFE Steel) - 24:48
Sixth Stage - 15.9 km - Kenji Yamamoto (Mazda) - 47:49
Seventh Stage - 11.1 km - Rintaro Kajiyama (Sera T&F Assoc.) - 32:05 - CR

source articles:
http://www.news24.jp/nnn/news16321037.html
https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000146256.html
translated and edited by Brett Larner

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