The third meet in this year's Hokuren Distance Challenge series happened Saturday in Abashiri, Hokkaido. 5000 m NR holder Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) had her best run of the year with a 15:29.12 to win the 5000 m A-heat, a step back in the right direction after a series of flat performances since last ekiden season. And it couldn't have come at a better time, with Hironaka being the only Japanese woman qualified for the 10000 m at next month's Budapest World Championships. The rest of the field was over 20 seconds back, led by Yuna Wada (Japan Post) in 15:52.33.
Eva Cherono (Toto) took the women's 10000 m in a season best 31:25.57. Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) continued to grow through her first collegiate season was a 30 sec+ PB of 31:46.17, just beating marathoner Yuka Ando (Wacoal) who clocked 31:46.85 for 3rd. Janet Nyiva (Panasonic) led the women's 3000 m in 8:49.32, Wakana Kabasawa (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) 2nd in 8:55.52 and Esther Wangui (Starts) 3rd in 8:58.57. Ai Fujita (Toyota Jidoshokki) took the top spot in the women's 1500 m in 4:21.14.
Vincent Yegon (Honda) led the top 8 sub-28 in a deep men's 10000 m, getting the win 27:41.57 with Muthoni Muiru (JR Higashi Nihon) 2nd in 27:43.30 and Simon Muthio (Chuo Hatsujo) 3rd in 27:43.67. 2020 Fukuoka International Marathon winner Yuya Yoshida (GMO) ran the second-fastest 10000 m of his career with a 27:54.33 for 7th, with 20-year-old Kiyoto Hirabayashi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) breaking into the sub-28 club with a 27:55.15 for 8th. 5000 m NR holder Suguru Osako (GMO) was 17th in 28:35.36 after 28:14.69 for 4th in the B-heat less than 2 hours earlier. Unusually, there were 6 DNFs in the A-heat, including top collegiate runners Shunsuke Yoshii (Chuo Univ.) and Hiroto Yoshioka (Juntendo Univ.).
Antipas Kibet (Komori Corp.) won the 5000 m A-heat in 13:17.39. Tomoki Ota (Toyota) followed up on his 13:24.59 PB in Shibetsu on July 1 with a new PB of 13:20.11 for 2nd. Marathoner Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko) was 3rd in a PB 13:27.79, his first time under 13:30. Nagiya Mori (Honda) led the top 5. under 8 minutes in the 3000 m in 7:51.96, with Hiroki Matsueda (Fujitsu) taking the 1500 m in 3:40.99. The B-heats were also decently fast. Edwin Kipkemoi (Asahi Kasei) won the 10000 B-heat in 28:04.14, with Edwin Kisalsak (Fujisan no Meisui) taking the 5000 m B-heat in 13:28.69.
The Hokuren Distance Challenge Series continues Wednesday in Kitami.
© 2023 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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