The race walks may well end up being Japan's best shot at a medal next year in Tokyo, but there's no question that along with the men's marathon the event the home crowd will be cheering for the hardest is the men's 4x100 m relay. Running a new lineup of Yuki Koike, Kirara Shiraishi, Yoshihide Kiryu and Abdul Hakim Sani Brown in the heats, Japan made it through the extremely high-level Heat 2, taking 2nd in 37.78. Heat winner South Africa set an African area record 37.68 with 3rd-place China and 5th-placer the Netherlands likewise setting new national records of 37.79 and 37.91. Canada was 6th in 37.91 but didn't make it through to the final. In the first heat only the top two placers, winner Great Britain in a world-leading 37.56 and runner-up Brazil in a South American record 37.90, went under 38, the fast times in the second heat shutting out Jamaica and others from the first heat. Based on its time in the heats Japan is ranked 3rd going into the final, but its chances of a medal are anything but assured.
Doha World Athletics Championships
Day Eight Japanese ResultsDoha, Qatar, 4 Oct. 2019
complete results
Finals
Men's 20 km Race Walk
1. Toshikazu Yamanishi (Japan) - 1:26:34
2; Vasiliy Mizinov (ANA) - 1:26:49
3. Perseus Karlstrom (Sweden) - 1:27:30
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6. Koki Ikeda (Japan) - 1:29:02
10. Eiki Takahashi (Japan) - 1:30:03
Qualifying Rounds
Men's 4x100 m Relay Heat Two
1. South Africa - 37.65 - Q, AR
2. Japan - 37.78 - Q
3. China - 37.79 - Q, NR
4. France - 37.88 - q
5. Netherlands - 37.91 - q, NR
6. Canada - 37.91
7. Germany - 38.24
DQ - Nigeria
© 2019 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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