japan running news

by Brett Larner Men's 400 m - Heats 2008 National Champion Yuzo Kanemaru was eliminated from the 400 m after finishing last in the 4th heat with a 46.39. Men's 200 m - Heats / Quarter-Final 2008 National Champion Shinji Takahira advanced to the 200 m quarter-finals on time after running a season-best 20.58 to finish 4th in the second heat. National record holder Shingo Suetsugu ran 20.93 for 6th place in the seventh heat, failing to advance. Takahira was consistent in the quarter-final, running 20.63 for 7th in the second heat, but could not advance to the semi-finals. Men's 110 m Hurdles - Heats 2008 National Champion Masato Naito ran 13.96 in the 4th heat of the 110 m hurdles, finishing last and not advancing to the quarter-finals. (c) 2008 Brett Larner all rights reserved

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo_30&k=2008012200382 http://www.daily.co.jp/general/2008/01/23/0000810586.shtml translated and edited by Brett Larner On Jan. 22, sports gear maker Mizuno announced that Sendai Ikuei High School distance running prodigy Megumi Kinukawa, 18, will join its team after graduating in the spring. Mizuno's team includes hurdler Shingo Suetsu and hammer thrower Koji Murofushi, but Kinukawa will be its first distance runner. At a press conference in Tokyo, Kinukawa told reporters, "My ambition extends to the world. I want to reach a new level in my running." "My motto is 'Change the World.'" Kinukawa chose Mizuno in large part because she does not want to spend her career running ekidens but would rather focus her energy on track running. In last summer's Osaka World Championships Kinukawa was 14th in the women's 10000 m, the only high school student on the Japanese team. She was injured late last year but this month has r...