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19-Year-Old Hironaka Wins Jr. Women's 3000 m in 8:52.80 - National Corporate Championships Day One Results


The 2020 National Corporate Track and Field Championships kicked off Friday in Kumagaya, Saitama on what will probably end up being the last hot day of the year. Defending junior women's 3000 m champ Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) had the performance of the day, exactly tying Kayoko Fukushi's U20 national record with a negative split 8:52.80 to pick up a second title and move up to all-time Japanese #5 for the distance. Because she turns 20 in November Hironaka's mark won't make her the co-record holder, but as an 8-second improvement over her winning time last year it puts her in position to follow Fukushi as just the second woman under 15 minutes for 5000 m if she gets into the right race. Her first chance comes Sunday where she faces most of the contenders for the Tokyo Olympic team.

A few of them turned up in the 10000 m A-heat where women-only marathon NR holder Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal) took the race out around 31:30 pace, dueling with 30 km NR holder Honami Maeda (Tenmaya) until the late stages of the race. Osaka Women's Marathon winner Mizuki Matsuda (Daihatsu), a high school teammate of Maeda's, made a play to take over from her as Ichyama faded, but in the end it was the only non-marathoner left up front, Rina Nabeshima (Japan Post) who got away for the win in 32:03.40 to Matsuda's 32:06.46 and Maeda's 32:08.06. Heavy favorite Hitomi Niiya (Sekisui Kagaku), the half marathon NR holder, opted to sit the race out in favor of Sunday's 5000 m.

Likewise in the 1500 m, where Japan's highest-potential U20, Kaede Hagitani (Edion) opted to sit out and rest up for the 5000 m. Niiya's teammate Ran Urabe (Sekisui Kagaku) took it out hard with a 64-second first lap followed only by Australian Melissa Duncan (Shiseido) in her first race after a long stretch of injury troubles. Duncan backed off when she saw the first 400 m split and was overtaken by the chase pack, but while Urabe slowed nobody came within striking distance as she took 1st in 4:12.44. Yuri Tasaki (Yamada Denki) ran a 12-second PB of 4:14.32 for 2nd, with Duncan holding on to 3rd in 4:18.04.

The only men's final of the day was the junior men's 1500 m, which for whatever reason had only two people this year. Kaisei Miyaki (Otsuka Seiyaku) was the faster, getting the win in 3:58.15.

The National Corporate Championships continue Saturday and Sunday. Live streaming of Day 2 can be had here.

68th National Corporate Track and Field Championships

Day One Highlights
Kumagaya, Saitama, Sept. 18, 2020
complete results

Women

 Women's 1500 m Final
1. Ran Urabe (Sekisui Kagaku) - 4:12.44
2. Yuri Tasaki (Yamada Denki)- 4:14.32
3. Melissa Duncan (Shiseido) - 4:18.04
4. Kazumi Nishihara (Yamada Denki) - 4:18.20
5. Riku Kikuchi (Higo Ginko) - 4:19.56

Junior Women's 3000 m Time Race 3
1. Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) - 8:52.80 - MR
2. Miyaka Sugata (Japan Post) - 9:12.94
3. Sora Shinozakura (Panasonic) - 9:16.94
4. Reina Hashino (Hitachi) - 9:17.48
5. Chinatsu Takeda (Daihatsu) - 9:20.19

Women's 10000 m Final A
1. Rina Nabeshima (Japan Post) - 32:03.40
2. Mizuki Matsuda (Daihatsu) - 32:05.46
3. Honami Maeda (Tenmaya) - 32:08.06
4. Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal) - 32:20.58
5. Yuka Ando (Wacoal) - 32:54.79

Women's 10000 m Final B
1. Mana Taniguchi (Wacoal)  33:24.78
2. Wakana Itsuki (Kyudenko) - 33:40.98
3. Kotomi Tsubokura (Wacoal) - 33:54.54
4. Hitomi Mizuguchi (Daihatsu) - 33:58.53
5. Mizuki Tanimoto (Tenmaya) - 34:02.43

Men
Junior Men's 1500 m Final
1. Kaisei Miyaki (Otsuka Seiyaku) - 3:58.15
2. Taisei Ozeki (Chudenko) - 4:18.30

© 2020 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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Stefan said…
The Women's 10000m Final lived up to the billing although the times were a lot slower than what was produced in the Hokuren Distance Challenge back in July. Have the new shoe sole height regulations had an effect? Honami Maeda nor Mizuki Matsuda would have felt any change as they are comfortable wearing the lower stacked shoes whereas Ichiyama transitioned to the Alphaflys for the Nagoya marathon and thereafter. I wonder if this had a bearing on her much slower time? But I have to hand it to the winner, Rina Nabeshima. She looked comfortable throughout the race and tactically was very astute. Great to see Honami Maeda turn the tables on Ichiyama here. Their rivalry hopefully bodes well for future faster times in their pet event - the marathon! Oh, and great run by Mizuki Matsuda.

Ririka Hironaka in the 3000m was outstanding. She continues to impress every meet she competes. I have a sneaking suspicision that she will better Nozomi Tanaka's national record in the coming years.

Can I ask, is Hanami Sekine from Japan Post still recovering from injury? I recall she did so well in the Nagoya Marathon back in 2018 and qualified for the MGC race but then had to pull out due to injury but haven't heard anything since about her?
September 19, 2020 at 2:32 PM
Brett Larner said…
The 10000m was good indeed. Sekine had a fairly serious injury. Not sure when/if she'll make it back, unfortunately.
September 20, 2020 at 9:58 AM
Stefan said…
Thanks Brett. I appreciate the update on Sekine. I do hope she can make it back. She is a very promising athlete. JP's roster is looking extraordinary these days. Shame the Corporate Exiden won't be taking place as I'd imagine they would have been favourites this year.
September 20, 2020 at 1:32 PM
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