Wanjiru and Etir Win 10000 m Titles on First Day of National University Championships

No real surprises on the opening day of the 2023 National University Track and Field Championships. A new wave of humidity that swept into the Kanto region Tuesday meant tough conditions for the 10000 m races, but heavy favorites Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka University) and Richard Etir (Tokyo Kokusai University) had no trouble taking the national titles in their debut seasons.

Wanjiru, winner of both the 5000 m and 10000 m at the spring's Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships, soloed a 33:18.93 to win by almost 45 seconds. Nanaka Miyahara (Fukuoka Univ.) won a last-lap battle against Hikaru Kitagawa (Osaka Geijutsu Univ.) and Fuka Fukunaga (Ritsumeikan Univ.) for 2nd in 34:01.46, Kitagawa 3rd in 34:02.34. National champion Meijo University had three of its best runners in the field, Saki Harada going 5th in 34:15.57, Nanase Tanimoto 7th in 34:18.15, and Yuka Masubuchi dropping out mid-race.

The men's race immediately separated into two groups, one all-Kenyan and one all-Japanese. Collegiate 10000 m record holder Etir made a series of moves to shake the pack up before breaking free, with only Shadrack Kipkemei (Nihon Univ.) able to stay close but never really in position for the win. Etir took the win in 28:15.75, Kipkemei next in 28:17.38 and Stephen Muthini (Soka Univ.) 3rd in 28:22.31. With top-tier programs like national champion Komazawa University and Aoyama Gakuin University giving it a miss the top Japanese spot went to Kenzo Ijichi (Koku Gakuin Univ.), 8th in 29:31.20.

In qualifying rounds, Konan University had an excellent run in the women's 4x100 m heats, 0.01 off the meet record at 44.52 to lead the qualifiers for the final by 0.37. MR holder Fukuoka University was the only other team to go under 45 seconds, clocking 44.89. Juntendo University was the only men's team under 39 seconds in the 4x100 m heats at 38.95, but with Keio University 2nd in 39.00 and Tsukuba University 3rd in 39.05 it looks like a good final ahead on Friday.

In the women's 100 m heats, Konan's Yume Okuno and Miu Kurashige had the two fastest times in the field, Okuno running 11.83 -1.5 m/s to win Heat 1 and Kurashige 11.84 -2.4 m/s to take Heat 7. Heat 5 winner Haruka Taji (Chuo Univ.) was the only other runner under 11.90, running 11.86 -0.1 m/s. Juntendo's Shoto Uno was fastest in the men's 100 m heats at 10.25 -0.0 m/s, with Naoki Okami (Sendai Univ.) and Yugo Haitamataira (Hachinohe Gakuin Univ.) the only others under 10.30 at 10.26 +0.2 m/s and 10.29 -0.0 m/s. Favorite Hiroki Yanagita (Toyo Univ.) eased through with a 10.33 -1.5 m/s win in Heat 2.

In the women's 400 m, Marin Adachi (Sonoda Gakuen Joshi Univ.) was the only runner under 55 seconds in the heats, winning Heat 5 in 54.96. Budapest World Championships team member Joseph Nakajima (Toyo Univ.) was a DNS in the men's 400 m heats, leaving Heat 5 winner Masataka Tomoda (Tokyo Rika University) to lead the heats in 46.46.

Complete results here. The National University Track and Field Championships continue through Sunday in Kumagaya, Saitama.

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...

Hakone Ekiden Qualifying Race Entry Roster Sizes Increased from 14 to 16

Hakone Ekiden organizers KGRR have announced details for the qualifying half marathon for next year's 103rd Hakone Ekiden. The Yosenkai qualifying race will be held Oct. 17 in Tachikawa, Tokyo. The combined times of the 10 fastest finishers from each participating team will be used for team scoring, with the 10 fastest teams going on the the main event next January and top-placing individuals from teams that do not qualify being names to the Kanto Region Student Alliance select team. One change from previous years is that the number of runners each school can enter has been increased from 14 to 16. Teams will still only be allowed to have from 10 to 12 athletes on the starting line, but the move gives coaches greater flexibility in making the final decision on their starting rosters. No changes have been made to the qualifying times of 34:00 for 10000 m or 1:13:00 for the half marathon, and the new earlier starting time of 8:30 a.m. introduced last year in an effort to mitigate ...

Nomura and Odagiri Go 3-4 at Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km

2010 Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km Nijmegen, Netherlands, 11/21/10 Women click here for complete women's results 1. Genet Getaneh (Ethiopia) - 47:53 2. Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) - 48:07 3. Sayo Nomura (Meijo Univ.) - 49:43 4. Aki Odagiri (Meijo Univ.) - 51:37 5. Benita Willis (Australia) - 51:51 Men click here for complete men's results 1. Leonard Patrick Komon (Kenya) - 41:13 - WR 2. Abera Kuma (Ethiopia) - 42:01 3. Ayele Abshiro (Ethiopia) - 42:01 4. Abraham Kiplimo (Uganda) - 43:03 5. Berhanu Delale (Ethiopia) - 43:08 ----- 14. Kazuya Watanabe (Team Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 45:31

japan running news

Search This Blog