Skip to main content

Weekend Track Update

 

The biggest domestic meet of the weekend was the four-day Kanto Region Track and Field Championships, but there were other good meets happening across the country. At the Kinami Memorial Meet in Osaka, Kazuto Iizawa (Sumitomo Denko) had a near-miss on the Japanese NR, running a meet record 3:35.77 for the win to come in at all-time JPN #2. 2nd through 4th-placers Abraham Guem (South Sudan), Felix Muthiani (Kenya) and Dezhu Liu (China) were all under the old MR and under 3:38, and the top 10 all went under 3:40. All told it was one of the best non-international championship men's 1500 m ever on Japanese soil. The women's 3000 mSC also saw a new MR from Shuangshuang Xu (China) in 9:47.45, with 2nd through 4th-placers Miu Saito (Nittai Univ.), Georgia Winkcup (Australia) and Manami Nishiyama (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) all breaking 10 minutes.


At part one of the Chugoku Corporate Championships in Hiroshima, Rebecca Mwangi (Daiso) had an easy win in the women's 5000 m in 15:26.53, 13 seconds up on Paris Olympic marathon team alternate Ai Hosoda (Edion). Kenyan Chugoku Denryoku teammates Cosmas Mwangi and Waweru Nganga went 1-2 in the men's 10000 m in 28:10.82 and 28:11.11, Taiyo Iwasaki (JFE Steel) the top Japanese finisher at 3rd in 28:38.38.


At the Chubu Corporate Championships in Gifu, Yamato Yoshii (Toyota) ran a 3:39.75 MR to win the 1500 m, his first time under 3:40. Daiki Hattori (Toyota Boshoku) edged Simon Muthio Saidim (Chuo Hatsujo) by 0.80 to score the top spot in the men's 5000 m in 13:36.01. Philemon Kiplagat (Aisan Kogyo) won the 10000 m by 3 seconds over Felix Korir (Toyota) in 28:19.08. Yutaro Niinae (Aisan Kogyo) continued a breakthrough season with a 3000 m SC win in 8:39.27.


In the women's races, Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) took the 1500 m - 5000 m double, winning the 1500 m in 4:18.16 on Saturday and the 5000 m in 15:50.91 the next day. Rio Matsutani (Denso) took 4 seconds of the MR in the U20 women's 3000 m, soloing a 9:24.08 for the win. Marathoner Reia Iwade (Denso) took the 10000 m in 33:30.26.

Overseas, men's 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura (Subaru) had a good run at the Doha Diamond League meet, running 4 seconds off his PB with an 8:13.96 for 5th. NR holder Nozomi Tanaka (New Balance) was unimpressive in the women's 5000 m, running only 15:11.21 for 11th. At the Track Fest meet in L.A., Hibiki Obara had a good run in the men's 3000 mSC with am 8:25.92 PB for 5th, beating Olympian Ryoma Aoki (Honda), who ran 8:35.16 for 9th.

© 2024 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

Buy Me A Coffee

Comments

Most-Read This Week

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...

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...

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...