japan running news

Barcelona, 7/10/12
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Men's 10000 m
1. Yigrem Demelash (Ethiopia) - 28:16.07 - PB
2. Philemon Kipchilis Cheboi (Kenya) - 28:23.98 - PB
3. Geoffrey Kipkorir Kirui (Kenya) - 28:30.47
4. Kinde Atanaw (Ethiopia) - 28:53.02
5. Moses Martin Kurong (Uganda) - 29:06.87
6. Kenta Murayama (Japan) - 29:40.56
7. Ken Yokote (Japan) - 29:41.81

Women's 3000 m
1. Mercy Chebwogen (Kenya) - 9:08.88 - PB
2. Hiwot Gebrekidan (Ethiopia) - 9:09.27 - PB
3. Emelia Gorecka (Great Britain) - 9:09.43 - PB
4. Haftamnesh Tesfay (Ethiopia) - 9:10.02 - PB
5. Brillian Jepkorir Kipkoech (Kenya) - 9:14.32 - PB
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8. Miyuki Uehara (Japan) - 9:21.81
17. Misuzu Nakahara (Japan) - 9:49.84

Men's 1500 m Heat Three
1. Teklit Teweldebrhan (Eritrea) - 3:46.46 - Q
2. Hillary Cheruiyot Ngetich (Kenya) - 3:46.54 - Q
3. Abdelhadi Labali (Morocco) - 3:46.75 - Q
4. Charlie Grice (Great Britain) - 3:47.05
5. Yusuke Uchikoshi (Japan) - 3:49.06

Women's 800 m Heat Two
1. Halimah Nakaayi (Uganda…

by Brett Larner

The 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships kick off today in Barcelona, Spain.  Ethiopia and Kenya look set to dominate most of the middle and long distance events with competition from Morocco and Eritrea and athletes from a scattering of other countries including Japan.

Japan's best distance medal chance looks to be in the women's 3000 m, where Miyuki Uehara comes in as the #1 seed with a PB over three seconds better than her nearest competitor, Emelia Gorecka of Great Britain.  After Great Britain's Laura Muir Uehara's teammate Misuzu Nakahara is the #4 seed with a best of 9:15.04, giving Japan a decent chance of picking up at least one medal in the event.  But with the next four athletes holding bests within less than two seconds of Nakahara and all hailing from Ethiopia and Kenya it won't be easy.  #3 and #5-ranked Shiori Yano and Moe Kyuma likewise stand a chance of hardware in the women's 5000 m, with Ethiopia's Buze Diriba looking like…