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Wanjiru Breaks Own MR, Fuwa and Ishida Return - Kanto Regionals Day 1 Highlights


Japan's best college meet kicked off Thursday at Tokyo's National Stadium at the 103rd Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships. Looking like she was doing a controlled tempo run, 2nd-yr Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) lapped the entire field to win the women's 10000 m in a meet record 32:02.87, almost 15 seconds under the record she last year in her debut. 3rd-yr Aoi Takahashi (Josai Univ.) was 2nd in 33:29.22 and 2nd-yr Nana Nagashima (Josai Kokusai Univ.) 3rd in a PB 33:30.28, but the other main news alongside Wanjiru's new record was the return of collegiate 10000 m record holder Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) in her first 10000 m in 19 months. Fuwa hung at the back of the chase pack for the first half, made a move to lead it in the second half, and ultimately faded to 9th in 33:40.20. Every comeback has to start somewhere.

The D1 men's 10000 m had a tight group up front with the top 6 all finishing within 6 seconds and under 28:10. 3rd-yr James Mutok (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) took the D1 title in 28:02.29 just holding off 4th-yr Itsuki Hirabayashi and his Josai University teammate Victor Kimutai. Another comeback happened in 6th, where former high school 5000 m record holder Kosuke Ishida, now a 4th-yr at Toyo University, ran a 31-second PB of 28:08.29 in the best performance of what's been a snakebitten collegiate career.

The D2 men's 10000 m is often faster than the D1 race, and this time that was definitely the case. The race went out in 2:46-2:44-2:43, 27:23 pace, quickly burning off everyone except 3rd-yr David Shunqeya Neiyiai (Reitaku Univ.). Shunqeya kept it solid in the 27:40-flat range, and even when threatened by 2nd-yr Stephen Muthini (Soka Univ.) over the last lap had the gears for the win in a PB 27:41.11 by just 0.41 over Muthini. Hakone Ekiden 2nd Stage winner Asahi Kuroda (Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) joined the sub-28 club with a school record 27:52.02 PB for 3rd, with the next three finishers all getting under 28:10.

Field events saw two meet records. In the D2 women's shot put, last year's winner Fumika Ono (Tsukuba Univ. Grad School) tied her own meet record with a 14.91 m throw on her 3rd attempt. Now competing in D2 as a grad student, D1 meet record holder Maki Saito (Tokai Univ. Grad School) led off with a 55.36 m D2 meet record that ended up being her best of the day and enough for the win.

Kanto Regionals continue through Sunday.

103rd Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships

Day One Highlights
National Stadium, Tokyo, 9 May 2024

D1 Women's 10000 m Final
1. Sarah Wanjiru (2nd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) - 32:02.87 - MR
2. Aoi Takahashi (3rd yr., Josai Univ.) - 33:29.22
3. Nana Nagashima (2nd yr., Josai Kokusai Univ.) - 33:30.28 - PB
4. Shuho Takahashi (4th yr., Asia. Univ.) - 33:31.55
5. Hinano Shiroki (2nd yr., Josai Univ.) - 33:34.01
6. Hinata Kaneko (3rd yr., Josai Univ.) - 33:34.79
7. Momona Yoshimoto (4th yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) - 33:35.79
8. Momoko Shimada (4th yr., Nittai Univ.) - 33:38.86
9. Seira Fuwa (4th yr., Takushoku Univ.) - 33:40.20
10. Mako Nakasai (3rd yr., Toyo Univ.) - 33:45.05 - PB

D1 Men's 10000 m Final
1. James Mutok (3rd yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:02.29
2. Itsuki Hirabayashi (4th yr., Josai Univ.) - 28:03.13 - PB
3. Victor Kimutai (3rd yr., Josai Univ.) - 28:04.93
4. Itta Tameike (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.) - 28:07.82 - PB
5. Hisaya Hanaoka (3rd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 28:08.26 - PB
6. Kosuke Ishida (4th yr., Toyo Univ.) - 28:08.29 - PB
7. Ryota Kobayashi (4th yr., Toyo Univ.) - 28:12.77 - PB
8. Riku Tamame (1st yr., Juntendo Univ.) - 28:13.67 - PB
9. Sota Sumihara (4th yr., Nittai Univ.) - 28:41.88 - PB
10. Fu Ando (4th yr., Nihon Univ) - 28:44.93

D2 Men's 10000 m Heat 2 Final
1. David Shunqeya Neiyiai (3rd yr., Reitaku Univ.) - 27:41.11 - PB
2. Stephen Muthini (2nd yr., Soka Univ.) - 27:41.52 - PB
3. Asahi Kuroda (3rd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 27:52.02 - PB
4. Hiroki Yamanaka (4th yr., Teikyo Univ.) - 28:04.54 - PB
5. Patrick Kamau (3rd yr., Jobu Univ.) - 28:05.64 - PB
6. Dennis Kipruto (2nd yr., Nihon Yakka Univ.) - 28:09.72
7. Hibiki Yoshida (4th yr., Soka Univ.) - 28:12.01 - PB
8. Rui Aoki (3rd yr., Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 28:16.32
9. Ryuto Uehara (3rd yr., Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 28:16.76 - PB
10. Hiromichi Nonaka (2nd yr., Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 28:17.98 - PB
11. Kosei Shiraishi (4th yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 28:23.99 - PB
12. Raphael Longisa (2nd yr., Takushoku Univ.) - 28:26.32
13. Yudai Katakawa (4th yr., Asia Univ.) - 28:34.10
14. Kento Baba (3rd yr., Rikkyo Univ.) - 28:40.67 - PB
15. Biniam Tesfaye Zeratsion (2nd yr., Musashino Univ.) - 28:50.61

D2/D3 Men's 10000 m Heat 1 Final
1. Yudai Hara (2nd yr., Teikyo Univ,) - 29:24.73
2. Hiro Konda (3rd yr., Chuo Gakuin Univ.) - 29:32.90
3. Hiroaki Furukawa (4th yr., Tokyo Univ. Grad School) - 29:35.35 
4. Takumi Tominaga (4th yr., Takushoku Univ.) - 29:35.99
5. Koki Obayashi (4th yr., Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) - 29:36.38

D1 Women's 1500 m Final Qualifiers
Suzuna Kinoshita (3rd yr., Chuo Univ.) - 4:25.32 (1st, Heat 1)
Yuiri Ogata (4th yr., Nittai. Univ.) - 4:25.93 (1st, Heat 2)
Mana Aiba (2nd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) - 4:26.18 (1st, Heat 3)
Yui Ono (3rd yr., Tsukuba Univ.) - 4:26.20 (2nd, Heat 2)
Airi Tajima (2nd yr., Juntendo Univ.) - 4:26.21 (3rd, Heat 2)
Mao Kogure (4th yr., Juntendo Univ.) - 4:26.33 (2nd, Heat 3)
Haruka Sekimoto (1st yr., Nittai Univ.) - 4:26.50 (3rd, Heat 3)
Rion Sawamura (1st yr., Chuo Univ.) - 4:26.59 (4th, Heat 2)
Yuka Komatsu (3rd yr., Tsukuba Univ.) - 4:26.68 (4th, Heat 3)
Yui Yoshii (2nd yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) - 4:27.31 (2nd, Heat 1)
Miu Suzuki (1st yr., Tsukuba Univ.) - 4:27.45 (3rd, Heat 1)
Yuna Fujiwara (4th yr., Daito Bunka Univ.) - 4:30.17 (5th, Heat 2)

D1 Men's 1500 m Final Qualifiers
Nayab Naoki Yoshikura (1st yr., Waseda Univ.) - 3:48.89 (1st, Heat 1)
Kiyoto Ono (2nd yr., Juntendo Univ.) - 3:49.03 (2nd Heat 1)
Hironori Tachizako (1st yr., Waseda Univ.) - 3:49.08 (3rd, Heat 1)
Takumi Shiobara (3rd yr., Juntendo Univ.) - 3:49.09 (4th, Heat 1)
Kaito Yoshida (4th yr., Tsukuba Univ.) - 3:49.11 (5th, Heat 1)
Harufumi Arai (4th yr., Meiji Univ.) - 3:49.13 (6th, Heat 1)
Yasuyuki Kusakari (3rd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 3:49.19 (7th, Heat 1)
Hiroto Takamura (4th yr., Nittai Univ.) - 3:49.26 (1st, Heat 2)
Tomoki Nakano (4th yr., Chuo Univ.) - 3:50.16 (2nd, Heat 2)
Tatsuki Yamanaka (3rd yr., Josai Univ.) - 3:50.45 (3rd, Heat 2)
Kazufumi Iwashita (2nd yr., Waseda Univ.) - 3:50.66 (4th, Heat 2)
Naoki Takada (4th yr., Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 3:50.69 (5th, Heat 2)

D2 Men's 1500 m Final Qualifiers
Shunya Udagawa (3rd yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 3:49.13 (1st, Heat 2)
Naoya Otsuka (3rd yr., Rikkyo Univ.) - 3:49.65 (1st, Heat 1)
Soya Katayama (4th yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 3:49.75 (3rd, Heat 2)
Shintaro Kudo (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.) - 3:49.79 (2nd, Heat 1)
Haruto Matsuo (2nd yr., Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) - 3:49.83 (3rd, Heat 1)
Hayato Oguma (1st yr., Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 3:49.89 (4th, Heat 1)
Naoto Hamaguchi (4th yr., Soka Univ.) - 3:49.98 (5th, Heat 1)
Hikaru Ogawara (1st yr., Aoyama Gakuin Univ.) - 3:50.18 (6th, Heat 1)
Yujiro Koshiba (1st yr., Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) - 3:50.20 (4th, Heat 2)
Kosei Shirai (2nd yr., Komazawa Univ.) - 3:50.50 (5th, Heat 2)
Yura Umehara (1st yr., Tokyo Nogyo Univ.) - 3:50.56 (7th, Heat 1)

D1 Women's High Jump Final
1. Tiffany Munesawa (4th yr., Tsukuba Univ.) - 1.73 m
2. Sumika Yaegashi (4th yr., Tsukuba Univ.) - 1.73 m
3. Yuki Morisaki (1st yr., Nihon Joshi Taiiku Univ.) - 1.70 m

D1 Men's Pole Vault Final
1. Rui Oscar Seijiro Kitada (2nd yr., Nittai Univ.) - 5.35 m - PB
2. Nanato Kogure (3rd yr., Tokai Univ.) - 5.30 m - PB
3. Naoki Kobayashi (4th yr., Nittai Univ.) - 5.30 m

D1/D2 Women's Shot Put Final
1. Fumika Ono (2nd yr., Tsukuba Univ. Grad School) - 14.91 m - MR tie 
2. Riru Taniguchi (4th yr., Nittai Univ.) - 14.13 m - PB
3. Miu Yoshinari (3rd yr., Tokyo Joshi Taiiku Univ.) - 14.12 m - PB

D1/D2 Women's Discus Throw Final
1. Maki Saito (2nd yr., Tokai Univ. Grad School) - 55.36 m - MR
2. Ranna Nishiyama (1st yr., Tsukuba Univ. Grad School) - 46.75 m
3. Karuna Sakamoto (2nd yr., Nittai Univ.) - 44.16 m

D1 Men's Discus Throw Final
1. Taiga Hamaguchi (4th yr., Nittai Univ.) - 50.76 m
2. Makoto Kobayashi (4th yr., Kokushikan Univ.) - 50.05 m - PB
3. Tokiya Yamaguchi (2nd yr., Tsukuba Univ.) - 48.89 mm - PB

D2/D3 Men's Long Jump Final
1. Riku Shindome (4th yr., Kokusai Budo Univ.) - 7.66 m +1.0 m/s
2. Yuto Nakano (2nd yr., Nihon Univ. Grad School) - 7.51 m +0.2 m/s
3. Aoto Tsuda (3rd yr., Surugadai Univ.) - 7.26 m +0.5 m/s

D2 Men's Hammer Throw Final
1. Sodai Tanaka (4th yr., Jobu Univ.) - 60.74 m - PB
2. Daichi Akamatsu (3rd yr., Kokusai Budo Univ.) - 52.80 m - PB
3. Keita Azechi (4th yr., Heisei Kokusai Univ.) - 52.29 m - PB

D3 Men's Hammer Throw Final
1. Daiki Kumon (2nd yr., Nihon Univ. Grad School) - 66.50 m
2. Ryusei Kawai (2nd yr., Juntendo Univ. Grad School) - 64.13 m
3. Daichi Shigyo (1st yr., Tsukuba Univ. Grad School) - 62.17 m

© 2024 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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Stefan said…
I liked what you said regarding Seira Fuwa, "Every comeback has to start somewhere." Better days ahead! It was great to see her running in the 10000m event after such a long time.
May 11, 2024 at 9:05 AM
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