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Yasukawa Denki Withdraws From New Year Ekiden After Team Member Tests Positive for COVID-19


On Dec. 30 the Yasukawa Denki corporate team announced that is withdrawn from the Jan. 1, 2023 New Year Ekiden national championships after a team member tested positive for COVID-19. The race will go ahead with the remaining 36 teams entered.

According to team management, one athlete came down with a fever on Dec. 28 after Yasukawa Denki had arrived in Gunma for the race. On Dec. 29 the athlete was taken to a hospital for testing, where his result came back positive. All team members had tested negative prior to leaving for Gunma. "We want to avoid having an impact (infecting) and other teams," said team management in explaining its withdrawal.

Yasukawa Denki has run the New Year Ekiden the last 33 years straight and a total of 45 times. According to the National Corporate Federation, organizers of the New Year Ekiden, this year will still count as an appearance in the record books.

Translator's note: In the video above Yasukawa Denki's Kiyoshi Koga set a new CR of 1:03:43 for 22.4 km, 1:00:01 half marathon pace, on the longest stage at the 2022 New Year Ekiden.

source article:
translated by Brett Larner

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