Midweek Track Roundup

Catching up on track results from the last few days:

After skipping the National Championships, men's 3000 mSC NR holder Ryuji Miura (Subaru) and 110 mH hurdler Shunsuke Izumiya (Sumitomo Denko) demonstrated fitness at the Paris Diamond League meet. Miura ran a season best 8:10.52 for 7th, with Izumiya 3rd in the final in a 13.16 (-0.6) SB after winning Heat 2 in 13.16 (+0.4). National champion Rachid Muratake (JAL) was a DNS in the final after winning Heat 1 in 13.15 (+0.1).

At the last Nittai University Time Trials meet of the season, collegiate 5000 m and 10000 m record holder Richard Etir (Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) won the men's 5000 m fast heat in 13:27.48, outrunning Brian Kiptoo (Reitaku Univ.) and Patrick Kamau (Kokushikan Univ.). Reishi Yoshida (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) was the fastest Japanese man in the meet at 13:45.54 for 6th. Kiptoo also soloed a 10000 m, literally, as in the only person in the race, in 29:05.52. Sharon Mwanthi (Yamanashi Gakuin H.S.) won the women's 3000 m fast heat in 9:23.96, Saki Arai (Takushoku Univ.) taking the 5000 m in 16:35.02.

But most people were up in Hokkaido for summer training, with the Hokuren Distance Challenge series getting underway in Kitami. In the all-African men's 5000 m C-heat, Samuel Kibathi (Toyota) outlined Raphael Dapash (JR Higashi Nihon) for the win 13:12.28 to 13:12.82. Kento Yamauchi (Kyudenko) won the all-Japanese A-heat on 13:32.48. Tatsuya Matsuoka (Kao) and Yudai Shimazu (GMO) both cleared 8 minutes in the men's 3000 m, Matsuoka winning in 7:58.01 and Shimazu 2nd in 7:58.34.

Deborah Chemutai (Univ. Ent.) took the Kitami women's 5000 m A-heat in 15:36.04 over Rion Furukawa (Nitori), 2nd in 15:38.18. Susan Kamotho (Yamada Holdings) and Janet Nyiva (Panasonic) were both way under 9 minutes in the women's in the closest race in a day of close races, Kamotho scoring the win in 8:46.68 and Nyiva 2nd in 8:46.70. Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) won the women's 1500 easily in a PB 4:03.65, following up on her near-miss on her PB last week at the National Championships.

At the HDC Abashiri meet, Stephen Muthini (Soka Univ.) ran 27:44.92 to lead Yuya Yoshida (GMO), Yuto Imae (GMO), Itta Tameike (Chuo Univ.) and Osaka Marathon winner Kiyoto Hirabayashi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) under 28 minutes in the men's 10000 m A-heat. Tameike's time of 27:52.38 was a new school record that made him the first Chuo runner in history to break 28. Amos Kurgat (Chudenko) couldn't match Kibathi's run in Kitami, winning the 5000 m A-heat in 13:19.11. Komazawa University captain Kotaro Shinohara was the top Japanese man, just off his PB at 13:35.33 for 6th. Shimazu followed up his 3000 m in Kitami with a 13:37.35 win in the 5000 m B-heat in Abashiri.

Nyiva was back to win the women's 10000 m in 31:16.01, just outrunning Caroline Kariba (Japan Post) by 0.56 for the win. The top 7 all went under 32 minutes, including Sayaka Sato (Sekisui Kagaku), Erika Tanoura (Sekisui Kagaku) and Kazuna Kanetomo (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo). Kamotho was also back, winning the women's 5000 m A-heat in a solid 15:09.68 almost 30 seconds up on top Japanese finisher Yuna Takahashi (Shimamura), 3rd in 15:36.46. Lucy Nduta (Aomori Yamada H.S.) won the 3000 m in Abashiri in 8:57.26, Ai Watanabe (Sonoda Gakuen Joshi H.S.) taking the 1500 m in 4:19.16.

The Hokuren Distance Challenge series continues Saturday in Shibetsu.

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