Men's long jump collegiate record holder Yuki Hashioka (Nihon Univ.) added 20 cm to the National University Track and Field Championships meet record, jumping a world-leading 8.29 m (-0.6) on his final attempt to pick up the national title. With the event cut back to four attempts as part of the meet's coronavirus measures, Hashioka opening with a 7.92 m (+1.1) that would have been enough for the win, lengthening that to 8.06 m (-0.2) on his second jump, then after a fouled third attempt dropped his meet-winning jump. Just 3 cm off his collegiate record, Hashioka will get a shot to better that at next month's National Track and Field Championships.
Hashioka's was the only world-leading performance of the day, but two other meet records also went down. Men's 3000 m steeplechase collegiate record holder Ryuji Miura (Juntendo Univ.) took his first collegiate national title, running 8:28.51 to take over 3 seconds off Kazuya Shiojiri's meet record. In the women's 3000 m steeplechase, 2019 winner Reimi Yoshimura (Daito Bunka Univ.) made it 2/2 with a 9:55.34 meet record for the win. With Miura just a first-year and Yoshimura still a second-year it looks like we'll be seeing more steeple records in the next few years.
In what was probably the most competitive race of the day, James Bunuka (Surugadai Univ.) broke defending champ Ledama Kisaisa (Obirin Univ.) in the final 2000 m of the men's 10000 m to win in 28:05.66. Kisaisa, Bunuka, Philip Mulwa (Soka Univ.), last year's 5000 m winner Vincent Yegon (Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) and Ren Tazawa (Komazawa Univ.) broke away from the pack early, Yegon and Tazawa losing ground in the 2nd half after Kisaisa started to assert himself. When Yegon abruptly dropped out at 7200 m Tazawa was left on his own, but up front it was a constantly changing three-way duel with Bunuka breaking free in the last 300 m for the win. Mulwa was next in 28:06.52, with Ledama 3rd in 28:14.13. Tazawa hung on to 4th in 28:22.48, the only Japanese man to have gone under 28:35 at Nationals in the last ten years.
The women's 10000 m, which was almost totally ignored on the official live stream, was more conservative, with a slow early pace around 3:30/1000 m until Meijo University teammates Rika Kaseda and Narumi Kobayashi broke away to go 1-2 in 33:33.30 and 33:35.54. Yumika Nagahama (Osaka Geijutsu Univ.) was 3rd in 33:59.11. Meijo also took the top two spots in the women's 1500 m, Tomomi Musembi Takamatsu winning in 4:23.18 and Yuna Wada 2nd in 4:24.12. #3-ranked Aoshi Kobayashi (Kanoya Taiiku Univ.) picked up the men's 1500 m title in 3:48.23.
Another big run came in the men's 400 m, where Daichi Inoue (Nihon Univ.) ran 45.83 for the win, a PB by 0.98 and just missing the meet record by 0.08. Defending champ Rikuya Ito (Waseda Univ.) was 2nd in 46.20. Last year's men's discus winner Shinichi Yukinaga (Shikoku Univ.) pulled off a repeat, throwing 56.09 m on his third of four attempts. Tatsuya Sakamoto (Osaka Taiiku Univ.) picked up the men's javelin throw title with an opening throw of 73.96 m.
In the women's 400 m, first-year Saki Takashima (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) made her debut with the win in 53.84. #1-ranked Misaki Morota (Chuo Univ.) won the women's pole vault title after clearing 3.90 m on her first attempt, 2019 winner Akane Wakazono (Tsukuba Univ.) tying for 4th at 3.70 m. #2-ranked Nagisa Yamamoto (Kanoya Taiiku Univ.) won the women's long jump at 6.17 m (-1.3), favorite Ayaka Kora (Tsukuba Univ.) 4th at 6.03 m (-0.5) and last year's winner Maya Takeuchi (Nihon Joshi Taiiku Univ.) only 10th at 5.75 m (+0.3). The #2-ranked athlete also took the top spot in the women's javelin, with Momone Ueda (Fukuoka Univ.) throwing a PB of 58.12 m for the win. Defending champ Mikako Yamashita (Kyushu Kyoritsu Univ.) was 3rd at 53.91 m.
The National University Track and Field Championships continue through Sunday at Niigata's Big Swam Stadium. Live streaming of Day Two here.
89th National University Track and Field Championships
Day One HighlightsDenka Big Swan Stadium, Niigata, 9/11/20
complete results
Men's 400 m Final
1. Daichi Inoue (Nihon Univ.) - 45.83
2. Rikuya Ito (Waseda Univ.) - 46.20
3. Yoshinobu Imoto (Tokai Univ.) - 46.67
Men's 1500 m Final
1. Aoshi Kobayashi (Kanoya Taiiku Univ.) - 3:48.23
2. Yusuke Takahashi (Hokkaido Univ.) - 3:48.92
3. Kohei Otake (Hiroshima Keizai Univ.) - 3:49.45
Men's 10000 m Final
1. James Bunuka (Surugadai Univ.) - 28:05.66
2. Philip Mulwa (Soka Univ.) - 28:06.52
3. Ledama Kisaisa (Obirin Univ.) - 28:14.13
4. Ren Tazawa (Komazawa Univ.) - 28:22.48
5. Kazuya Nishiyama (Toyo Univ.) - 28:43.17
Men's 3000 m Steeplechase Final
1. Ryuji Miura (Juntendo Univ.) - 8:28.51 - MR
2. Hikaru Kitamura (Waseda Univ.) - 8:49.92
3. Waku Moritomi (Waseda Univ.) - 8:50.70
Men's Long Jump Final
1. Yuki Hashioka (Nihon Univ.) - 8.29 m -0.6 m/s - WL, MR
2. Tenju Togawa (Kokusai Budo Univ.) - 7.88 m +0.0 m/s
3. Riku Ito (Kinki Univ.) - 7.75 m +0.3 m/s
Men's Discus Throw Final
1. Shinichi Yukinaga (Shikoku Univ.) - 56.09 m
2. Kosei Yamashita (Kyushu Kyoritsu Univ.) - 51.95 m
3. Hitoshi Okumura (Kokushikan Univ.) - 51.41 m
Men's Javelin Throw Final
1. Tatsuya Sakamoto (Osaka Taiiku Univ.) - 73.96 m
2. Junya Sado (Tokai Univ.) - 71.25 m
3. Tatsuro Kudo (Tokai Univ.) - 69.99 m
Women's 400 m Final
1. Saki Takashima (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 53.84
2. Airi Oshima (Chuo Univ.) - 54.12
3. Ayaka Kawata (Higashi Osaka Univ.) - 54.27
Women's 1500 m Final
1. Tomomi Musembi Takamatsu (Meijo Univ.) - 4:23.18
2. Yuna Wada (Meijo Univ.) - 4:24.12
3. Wakana Kabasawa (Keio Univ.) - 4:25.16
Women's 10000 m Final
1. Rika Kaseda (Meijo Univ.) - 33:33.30
2. Narumi Kobayashi (Meijo Univ.) - 33:35.54
3. Yumika Nagahama (Osaka Geijutsu Univ.) - 33:59.11
4. Saho Okumura (Tokai Univ.) - 34:17.90
5. Shiori Yoshizono (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 34:17.97
Women's 3000 m Steeplechase Final
1. Reimi Yoshimura (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 9:55.34 - MR
2. Yuki Akiyama (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 10:01.20
3. Yuzu Nishide (Kwansei Gaikokugo Univ.) - 10:10.50
Women's Pole Vault Final
1. Misaki Morota (Chuo Univ.) - 3.90 m
2. Yuki Noshi (Mukogawa Joshi Univ.) - 3.90 m
3. Jun Maekawa (Nittai Univ.) - 3.80 m
Women's Long Jump Final
1. Nagisa Yamamoto (Kanoya Taiiku Univ.) - 6.17 m -1.3 m/s
2. Ami Kodama (Tokai Hokkaido Univ.) - 6.04 m -1.5 m/s
3. Riko Ryono (Waseda Univ.) - 6.04 m -0.4 m/s
Women's Javelin Throw Final
1. Momone Ueda (Fukuoka Univ.) - 58.12 m
2. Sae Takemoto (Osaka Taiiku Univ.) - 57.43 m
3. Mikako Yamashita (Kyushu Kyoritsu Univ.) - 53.91 m
© 2020 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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