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
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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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