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Collegiate Record Holder Fuwa Withdraws from National XC Champs and Mixed Ekiden


10000 m collegiate record holder and all-time Japanese #2 at 30:45.21, 18-year-old Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) has withdrawn from plans to run this Sunday's National University Mixed Team Invitational Ekiden in Osaka and next weekend's National Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka. The Takushoku University women's team made the announcement on its official Twitter feed on Feb. 14.

At the Jan. 16 National Women's Ekiden Fuwa broke 5000 m national record holder Ririka Hironaka's course record for the 4.0 km Fourth Stage, running 12:29 and passing 13 people en route. Post-race she was excited about running the Mixed Ekiden, saying, "There aren't that many chances for men and women to run on the same team, and I'm really looking forward to running in a new ekiden!" 

But in the team's announcement it said, "Everything going forward is for one thing: winning the May 7 National Championships 10000 m and competing at Worlds!" The announcement also said Fuwa was not running the National Cross Country Championships, in which she had been entered. The National Championships 10000 m will be held May 7 at Tokyo's National Stadium. As one of only three Japanese women to currently have the Oregon World Championships 10000 m standard, a win at Nationals would guarantee Fuwa a place on the National Team. This appears to be her new priority.

source article:
translated by Brett Larner

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RigaJags said…
Bummer,she likely would have won fairly easily (already did last year).

Smart choice to focus on the middle part of the year from her though.

I wonder if Miura will do something similar. I hope his training on longer distances won't affect his 3000 SC. I think he should really focus on that until the national and then world championship.
February 15, 2022 at 8:43 PM
RigaJags said…
I know it's not the most appropriate article to comment on this again but since I left the comment above there's an update in case there won't be an article previewing the race:

Miura appears on the starting list at the official webpage of the 10km senior who he won last year. The exciting part is that in addition to Matsueda (last year second) there will be Akira Aizawa (at least he is on the starting list) and Kosuke Ishida (who beat Miura 2-3 years ago in the u20 XC nationals).
Furthermore Keita Sato is listed in the senior race as well (he won the u20 last year) before going to Komazawa.
Add in Ayumu Yamamoto (with a great 20km corporate marathon), Tamaki Fujimoto, Ken Tansho among others and this weekend's race could be amazing.

I hope there will be a live streaming available somewhere.
February 21, 2022 at 10:31 PM
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