japan running news

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20120930-OHT1T00285.htm http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/sports/0005414888.shtml translated and edited by Brett Larner The university women's ekiden season kicked off Sept. 29 with the Kansai Region (Kobe/Kyoto/Osaka area)  qualifier for the Oct. 28 National University Women's Ekiden Championships in Sendai.  22 schools ran in the six-stage, 30 km Kansai qualifier in Kobe's Shiawase no Mura, with defending champion Bukkyo University  taking its second-straight and fourth-overall win in 1:37:54.  Last year's national champion Ritsumeikan University  finished 4th in Kansai.  Along with Bukkyo and Ritsumeikan, five other schools from the Kansai Region made the cut for Nationals. Having run on the Shiawase no Mura course since her days at Tomogaoka H.S., Bukkyo's Shiho Takechi  had the fastest time on the anchor stage for the second year in a row.  Takechi ran 47 seconds faster than the next-fastest ...

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....