Tokyo World Athletics Championships Day 9 Japanese Results

In its only event on the final day of the Tokyo World Athletics Championships, Japan fielded the same men's 4x100 m lineup it did in the heats, Yuki Koike, Hiroki Yanagita, Yoshihide Kiryu and Towa Uzawa. The specter of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics final, where Japan had a rare missed exchange while being a medal favorite, hung over the team's return to the final on home ground, and there was the extra pressure of knowing the emperor was in attendance in the stadium watching.

Japan had the 5th-best time in the heats, and given the less than A-team lineup this time it would have taken something special to better that and add one last medal to Japan's count. Multiple delays due to heavy rain kept them waiting, but once it went off it played out pretty much according to expectations. Well, the U.S.A. did manage to get the baton around this time, so not exactly every expectation, but given that they did they of course dropped a world-leading 37.29 for gold. Canada was next with a 37.55 SB for silver, with Netherlands running a 37.81 NR for bronze.

Hot in the first round, Ghana took 4th in 37.93. Germany came from behind to catch Japan just before the line, 5th in 38.29 to Japan's 38.35. France was 7th in 38.58, with Australia a DNF. And that's how it went for the home team. Not terrible, not brilliant, not the best it could have been, but putting to bed the ghost of the 2021 DNF on the same track. It could have been worse.

One more wrap-up to come looking at the overall Japanese team performance.

Endo, Nishikawa and Yamakawa Announce Corporate Team Changes

The SG Holdings men's corporate team announced on Oct. 1 that long-distance athletes Hyuga Endo and Yuichiro Nishikawa have joined its roster after leaving the Sumitomo Denko team. Endo, 28, won the Junior Olympics 3000 m while at Koriyama Nishi J.H.S. before going on to Gakuho Ishikawa H.S. where he was the the top Japanese placer in the 5000 m at the National High School Championships 2 years in a row. After graduating from Gakuho Ishikawa he joined the Sumitomo Denko team, winning the National Championships 5000 m in 2021. He won gold at the 2023 Asian Championships and represented Japan at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships. "I will give everything I have as part of the team and work hard toward helping it win the New Year Ekiden," he said of his new environment. Of his personal goals he said, "I want to focus on the 5000 m and reach new levels to compete internationally." Nishikawa, 28, was a member of Tokai University 's winning teams at the H...

2 Athletes Provisionally Suspended After Positive Drug Tests at Asian Games

The International Testing Agency announced on Oct. 2 that provisional suspensions have been imposed on two athletes, Kazakhstan's Aiana Bolatbekkyzy in track and field, and Tajikistan's Issamjon Sharifov in tennis, after they tested positive for prohibited substances at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Aichi. Bolatbekkyzy, 19, tested positive for the steroid drostanolone in a sample collected during an in-competition test at the Games. A diuretic drug was found in the sample collected from Sharifov, 23. source article: https://www.sanspo.com/article/20261002-X4FJLT5MMZKFND6WXPOESAKETQ/ translated by Brett Larner

East Japan Corporate Ekiden English Commentary

For the time being I'll be using this post for English commentary on today's East Japan Jitsugyodan Ekiden Championships. Reload article to see updates. Race broadcast starts at 1:55 p.m. Japan time. Click here to watch TBS' broadcast online.

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