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Wanjiru Breaks 5000 m Collegiate Record, 18 Men Sub-28 at Nittai


Corporate women had their national championship ekiden last weekend, but for everyone else the biggest races of the year are still coming up in the next month, and a lot of them were at Nittai University this weekend for one of the last big tune-ups.

The men's 10000 m fast heat had a massive 18 people break 28 minutes, and this just a week after the main 10000 m of the season in Hachioji. Up front there was a thrilling photo finish, with steeplechase specialist Philemon Kiplagat going right to the line with NR holder Kazuya Shiojiri who had scratched from Hachioji, both of them clocking 27:36.37 but Kiplagat getting the win. Shiojiri's corporate team Fujitsu had 7 men break 28 including marathon NR holder Kengo Suzuki, with Asahi Kasei turning out 3 and Subaru 2, raising the stakes for the Jan. 1 New Year Ekiden.

Speaking of steeplechase and Subaru, NR holder Ryuji Miura was nowhere near the NR attempt he'd floated pre-race but still had a decent run in the 5000 m fast heat, winning in 13:27.43 over Edwin Kisalsak, 13:28.07, and Paris Olympics marathon 6th-placer Akira Akasaki, 3rd in 13:28.43. James Karuri of Aomori Yamada H.S. was 13:35.94 and Haruki Niizuma from Nishiwaki Kogyo H.S. 7th in 13:41.68, with a total of 8 high schoolers going under 14 minutes across the 3 fastest heats.

The women's 5000 m fast heat was about as high-level as domestic races come in Japan, with the top 3 breaking 15 minutes led by Hellen Ekalale with a 14:45.66 PB. Daito Bunka University's Sarah Wanjiru just missed out on joining the sub-15 club, but her 15:00.68 for 4th was still a new Japanese collegiate record. Miyaka Sugata from national champ Japan Post was the top Japanese finisher at 7th in 15:24.83, with Ayami Yoshida from Sapporo Sosei H.S. impressing with a 15:34.08 for 13th.

The women's 3000 m fast heat was a showdown between the best Japan-based Kenyan high schoolers ahead of the National High School Ekiden in 3 weeks. Lucy Nduta of Aomori Yamada H.S. came out on top in 8:57.26 for the win, holding off Jecinta Nyokabi of Hakuho Joshi H.S., 2nd in 8:58.10. Kenyans took the top 6 spots, with 7th going to Wakana Fukuyama of Saitama Sakae H.S. in 9:18.15.

318th Nittai University Time Trials / 13th Nittaidai Challenge Games

Nittai University, Yokohama, 30 Nov. - 1 Dec. 2024

Men's 10000 m Heat 16
1. Philemon Kiplagat (Aisan Kogyo) - 27:36.37
2. Kazuya Shiojiri (Fujitsu) - 27:36.37
3. Gideon Ronoh (Logisteed) - 27:37.31
4. Kelvin Kiplagat (Aisan Kogyo) - 27:42.66
5. Daniel Kosen (Fujitsu) - 27:50.09
6. Masaya Yamatani (Logisteed) - 27:50.77
7. Tatsuhiko Ito (Honda) - 27:53.89
8. Yuta Bando (Fujitsu) - 27:54.40
9. Sonata Nagashima (Asahi Kasei) - 27:55.03
10. Katsuhiko Suzuki (Subaru) - 27:55.35
11. Daiki Ozawa (Fujitsu) - 27:55.74
12. Kiseki Shiozawa (Fujitsu) - 27:56.72
13. Kengo Suzuki (Fujitsu) - 27:56.74
14. Takashi Ichida (Asahi Kasei) - 27:56.91
15. Ryo Goda (Yasukawa Denki) - 27:57.12
16. Neo Namiki (Subaru) - 27:57.53
17. Hiroki Matsueda (Fujitsu) - 27:57.66
18. Jinichiro Kameda (Asahi Kasei) - 27:59.27
19. Shoya Kawase (Honda) - 28:01.18
20. Akihito Kawada (SID Group) - 28:02.67

Men's 5000 m Heat 40
1. Ryuji Miura (Subaru) - 13:27.43
2. Edwin Kisalsak (Fujisan no Meisui) - 13:28.07
3. Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko) - 13:28.43
4. James Karuri (Aomori Yamada H.S.) - 13:35.94
5. Peter Kamau (Kokushikan Univ.) - 13:37.35
6. Abraham Guem (Ami AC) - 13:38.06
7. Haruki Niizuma (Nishiwaki Kogyo H.S.) - 13:41.68
8. Felix Muthiani (Yamanashi Gakuin H.S.) - 13:41.94
9. Wilson Lemangale (NTN) - 13:42.73
10. Raphael Longisa (Takushoku Univ.) - 13:49.51
-----
15. Itsuki Takaishi (Kochi Kogyo H.S.) - 13:58.23

Men's 5000 m Heat 39
1. Daiki Inoe (Osaka Gas) - 13:48.40
2. Eikichi Kazaoka (JFE Steel) - 13:52.62
3. Haruto Koshizuka (JFE Steel) - 13:53.32
4. Ren Yonemitsu (Konica Minolta) - 13:54.56
5. Sei Yoshida (Tokai Sapporo H.S.) - 13:54.79

Men's 5000 m Heat 38
1. Shoei Narusawa (Keio Univ.) - 13:54.83
2. Daito Shimoda (Tokyo Keizai Univ.) - 13:56.95
3. Tomoki Nakano (Chuo Univ.) - 13:58.51
4. Shiketsu Kan (Sendai Ikuei H.S.) - 13:58.51
5. Yuto Hananuki (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 13:58.75
6. Zebedayo Rarapua (Sendai Ikuei H.S.) - 13:59.55
7. Yusuke Akasaka (Nishiwaki Kogyo H.S.) - 13:59.81

Women's 5000 m Heat 7
1. Hellen Ekalale (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 14:45.66 - PB
2. Tabitha Njeri Kamau (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 14:56.12
3. Agnes Mwikali Mutuku (Kyocera) - 14:59.73
4. Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 15:00.68 - Collegiate Record
5. Deborah Chemutai (Universal Ent.) - 15:13.49
6. Caroline Kariba (Japan Post) - 15:16.59
7. Miyaka Sugata (Japan Post) - 15:24.83
8. Yumi Yoshikawa (Uniqlo) - 15:26.50
9. Sora Shinozakura (Panasonic) - 15:26.95
10. Miu Saito (Nittai Univ.) - 15:27.45
11. Kokoro Nakachi (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 15:32.21
12. Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) - 15:33.25
13. Ayami Yoshida (Sapporo Sosei H.S.) - 15:34.08
14. Rio Einaga (Osaka Gakuin Univ.) - 15:35.65
15. Tomo Muramatsu (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 15:36.98
16. Mariya Noda (Daito Bunka Univ.) - 15:37.46
17. Yuiri Ogata (Nittai Univ.9 - 15:39.01
18. Kurumi Yoda (Osaka Gakuin Univ.) - 15:39.71
19. Susan Kamotho (Yamada Holdings) - 15:41.36
20. Yuri Tasaki (Sysmex) - 15:46.67
21. Mao Kogure (Juntendo Univ.) - 15:51.86
22. Sayuki Ota (Ritsumeikan Univ.) - 15:55.16
23. Saki Matsui (Bears) - 15:55.58
24. Yumi Yamamoto (Ritsumeikan Univ,) - 15:58.27
25. Anna Matsuda (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 15:58.75

Women's 3000 m Heat 9
1. Lucy Nduta (Aomori Yamada H.S.) - 8:57.26
2. Jecinta Nyokabi (Hakuho Joshi H.S.) - 8:58.10
3. Margaret Muthoni (Kamimura Gakuen H.S.) - 9:01.43
4. Mirriam Njeri (Sendai Ikuei H.S.) - 9:08.19
5. Pauline Wanjiku (Teikyo Nagaoka H.S.) - 9:10.25
6. Mary Akai (Hakuho Joshi H.S.) - 9:14.10
7. Wakana Fukuyama (Saitama Sakae H.S.) - 9:18.15
8. Rin Setoguchi (Kamimura Gakuen H.S.) - 9:19.25
9. Sakine Noguchi (Kamimura Gakuen H.S.) - 9:20.58
10. Yua Sato (Ritsumeikan Uji H.S.) - 9:21.04

© 2024 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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Stefan said…
Amazing running in the Women's 5000m. A 14:45.66 by Hellen Ekalale is outstanding and a PB to boot. As is Sarah Wanjiru's Collegiate Record time. It won't be long before she breaks 15. Miyaka Sugata continues to impress. I've noticed Caroline Kariba is off her best form from earlier in the year as I've been expecting her to break 15 too. Perhaps she hasn't fully recovered from the Queen's Ekiden. Nice to see Yumi Yoshikawa put in a great final run for Uniqlo. And also good to see Ririka Hironaka running well. I'm sure it will only take a couple of months or so before she is back to her best. What is noticeable is both the quantity and quality of the Ritsumeikan Univ runners. They are looking very strong for the Mt Fuji Ekiden.
December 3, 2024 at 10:00 AM
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