japan running news

2012 Zevenheuvelenloop 15 km
Nijmegen, Netherlands, 11/18/12
click here for complete results

Women
1. Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) - 47:08
2. Tiki Gelana (Ethiopia) - 48:09
3. Beatrice Mutai (Kenya) - 48:52
4. Lucy Macharia (Kenya) - 49:00
5. Gelete Burka (Ethiopia) - 49:26
6. Aki Odagiri (Japan) - 50:57
7. Merel de Knegt (Netherlands) - 51:43
8. Eriko Kushima (Japan) - 51:49
9. Hikari Yasuhara (Japan) - 52:14
10. Miranda Boonstra (Netherlands) - 52:23
11. Mei Matsuyama (Japan) - 52:59
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19. Ai Furukubo (Japan) - 55:16

Men
1. Nicholas Kipkemboi (Kenya) - 42:01
2. Leonard Komon (Kenya) - 42:18
3. Nguse Amlosom (Ethiopia) - 42:28
4. Kennedy Kimutai (Kenya) - 42:29
5. Abera Kuma (Ethiopia)

by Brett Larner

Day one of the 2012 Japanese National University Track & Field Championships saw a breakthrough run in the women's 10000 m from one half of Tsukuba University's Kyuma twins, Haruka Kyuma, who dominated the competition to take the win in a solid best mark of 32:59.64, five seconds ahead of runner-up Ai Furukubo (Kyoto Sangyo Univ.) who in turn held off 3rd-place Mai Tsuda (Ritsumeikan Univ.) by three seconds.  Kyuma's twin sister Moe Kyuma, also of Tsukuba, was a distant 5th in 33:36.18.

Kenyan newcomer Enock Omwamba (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) continued his rise up through the ranks this year in the men's 10000 m, outgunning defending national collegiate camp Benjamin Gandu (Kenya/Nihon Univ.) by two seconds to take the national title in 28:58.77.  Gandu's first-year teammate Daniel Kitonyi (Kenya/Nihon Univ.) picked up the 1500 m title in 3:44.51 in the absence of defending champion Suguru Osako (Waseda Univ.), who has been racing in Italy this mo…

http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/sports/article/20120713000152

translated and edited by Brett Larner

Seven events saw finals on the first day of the Kyoto Track and Field Championships at Nishi Kyogoku Sports Park Field.  Among them, Kyoto native and Ayabe H.S. graduate Haruka Kyuma (1st yr., Tsukuba Univ.) ran 15:54.33 to win the women's 5000 m for the first time. Kazuki Noda (Kyoto Sangyo Univ.) won the men's 5000 m in 14:23.60, while 38-year-old Yoshihisa Fukumoto (Kyoto T&F Assoc.) took his eleventh high jump title, five years since his last win.

Translator's note: Kyuma's identical twin sister Moe Kyuma ran for the Japanese team at this year's World Junior Championships.

Kyoto Track & Field Championships Women's 5000 m
Nishi Kyogoku Sports Park Field, Kyoto, 7/13/12

1. Haruka Kyuma (Tsukuba Univ.) - 15:54.33
2. Chika Ogawa (Bukkyo Univ.) - 16:12.69
3. Nanami Aoki (Ritsumeikan Uji H.S.) - 16:14.08
4. Chinami Mori (Bukkyo Univ.) - 16:22.03
5. Ai Furukubo (Kyo…