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Weekend Overseas Race Roundup


Most of the action was overseas this weekend, with the Chugoku Jitsugyodan Time Trials meet in Hiroshima being the only really noteworthy domestic event. Dan Kiplangat (JFE Steel) had the fastest time in the six heats of men's 5000 m, beating Kibet Mangata (Mazda) by 0.38 seconds for the win in 13:35.44. 2:06 marathoner Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Harima) was 5th in 13:58.28, with teammate Kakeru Ide (Kurosaki Harima) taking the B-heat in 13:58.34 and high schooler Itsuki Takaishi (Kochi Kogyo H.S.) joining the sub-14 club with a 13:59.04 to win the C-heat. Rose Wangui (Sera H.S.) got her ekiden season prep off to a good start with a 9:00.27 win in the women's 3000 m.

With Kenyan Brimin Kipkorir Misoi soloing a 2:06:18 for the win Japanese men went 4-5 at the Sydney Marathon in Australia, Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei) 4th in 2:08:54 and Ken Nakayama (Honda) 5th in 2:09:23. 2:06 marathoner Hidekazu Hijikata (Asahi Kasei) was only 11th in 2:14:46. On the women's side, Mao Uesugi (Tokyo Metro) was 6th in 2:29:18, seven and a half minutes behind winner Workenesh Edesa who ran 2:21:41 to take 1st.

Shunya Kikuchi (Chugoku Denryoku) was the top Japanese man at the Copenhagen Half Marathon, 19th in 1:01:45. Marathon NR holder Kengo Suzuki (Fujitsu) was 22nd in 1:02:20 after going out with the lead group, with Taiyo Iwasaki (JFE Steel) just behind him in 1:02:26 for 23rd. Kenyan Sabastian Sawe was in another league entirely, 1st in 58:05. Margaret Chelimo took the women's race in 1:05:11, meaning all three Japanese men were closer to her than they were to Sawe. Sayaka Sato (Sekisui Kagaku) was 11th in the women's race in 1:09:03.

Two other Japanese women opted for the Porto Half Marathon instead of Copenhagen. With Cynthia Chemweno winning the women's race in 1:09:58 Yuki Nakamura (Panasonic) was 2nd in 1:12:23 and Chiharu Suzuki (Hitachi) 3rd in 1:13:10.

Five Japanese athletes were at the Brussels Diamond League final. Olympic gold medalist Haruka Kitaguchi was the star of the show, coming up with a season best 66.13 m for a second-straight Diamond League title on her final attempt.
  • Roderick Genki Dean wrapped a great 2024 with a 5th in the men's javelin throw at 80.37 m.
  • Abdul Hakim Sani Brown was 6th in the men's 100 m in 10.10 (+0.1).
  • Shunsuke Izumiya also took 6th in the men's 110 mH, running 13.33 (+0.4).
  • Nozomi Tanaka was yet another 6th in the women's 5000 m in 14:31.88, 22 seconds behind winner Beatrice Chebet's 14:09.82.
© 2024 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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Stefan said…
Sayaka Sato's 1:09:03 was a Half Marathon PB so this is welcome news for her and the Sekisui team. I saw her crossing the finishing line very strongly on the livestream. Also nice to see Yuki Nakamura put in another excellent podium finish at the Porto Half after her stellar victory at the Gold Coast Marathon earlier in the year. Nozomi Tanaka did very well to finish 6th in a SB time. I'm looking forward to seeing how Mizuki Matsuda performs at the Berlin Marathon in a couple of weeks. I'd love to see her get a PB but I've got my reservations on whether she can do it.

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