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Aoki and Ogawa Make Top 5 at Zevenheuvelenloop


A group of Japanese university runners competed in the Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km road race in the Netherlands on Nov. 17. Every year a group of students is selected to compete based on their results at the National University Half Marathon and National University Track and Field Championships 10000 m.

Having won both the Izumo Ekiden and National University Ekiden this season, Koku Gakuin University was out in force in the men's race too. Rui Aoki was part of a 5-way sprint finish for 2nd behind Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo's 40:42 world best, taking 4th in 43:23, the best-ever Japanese men's performance at the race.

Aoki won this year's National University Half Marathon in 1:02:06. He was 3rd on the First Stage at October's Izumo Ekiden and 7th on the Second Stage at the National University Ekiden, playing a key role in KGU's wins at both. His teammate Hikaru Tsujihara was 10th in 43:55, having handled the Third Stage at both Izumo and Nationals. Hinata Shirakawa (Chuo Univ.) was 26th in 44:52, and Keigo Amimoto (Toyo Univ.) 47th in 46:51.

National University 10000 m winner Haruka Ogawa (Rikkyo Univ.) was 5th in the women's race in 49:36. Mariya Noda (Daito Bunka Univ.) was 8th in 49:55, Ayaka Maeda (Kansai Univ.) 9th in 49:58, and Saki Harada (Meijo Univ.) 20th in 20:52. Competing independently of the official university group, Nanase Tanimoto (Meijo Univ.) was 6th in 49:38 and Nanaka Yonezawa (Meijo Univ.) 13th in 50:39.

Also competing abroad, collegiate women's 10000 m record holder Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) ran in a 10 km road race held on the runway at Hong Kong International Airport Sunday alongside 2017 World XC bronze medalist Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and last year's African 10000 m champion Janeth Chepngetich. Fuwa ran 35:05 for 9th.

Fuwa's track 10000 m PB of 30:45.21 is the collegiate record and ranks her at all-time Japanese #3. Since setting that time at the end of 2021 she has suffered serial injuries, but at last month's National University Women's Ekiden she was 7th on the Fifth Stage, helping Takushoku made the podium and guarantee itself a place at next year's Nationals.




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