japan running news

A key part of Josai University 's school record 3rd-place finish at the Hakone Ekiden in January, 2nd-year Victor Kimutai did a quality double at Saturday's Tokorozawa Games at Waseda University . Running in the 3000 m fast heat at 10:20 a.m., Kimutai led a quartet most of the way on sub-8 minute pace before pulling away over the last two laps to win in a PB of 7:53.75. Teammate Itsuki Hirabayashi looked set for 2nd but was run down in the last 50 m by Waseda's Taishi Ito , who set a PB of 7:58.64 just two weeks after running the United Airlines NYC Half. Hirabayashi held on for 3rd in 7:59.18, his first time under 8 minutes. 95 minutes later Kimutai lined up again in the 1500 m fast heat, and again he scored the win with a 3:45.78 PB. Another one of his Josai teammates Tatsuki Yamanaka was right with him with a 3:46.02 PB for 2nd, with high schooler Yanab Naoki Yoshikura of Waseda Jitsugyo H.S. 3rd in 3:49.08. Tokorozawa Games Waseda University Field, Tokorozawa, 30 M...

Both the Sendai Ikuei H.S.  girls and the defending champ  Sera H.S.  boys led start-to-finish to win today's National High School Ekiden , Sendai Ikuei becoming the first team in the 33-year history of the girls' event to win the national title five times, and Sera extending its record as the only team in the boys' race's 72 years with double-digit wins to eleven. Cold and windy conditions with off and on snow meant no new stage records, but in both races there were  still fast times. 3rd last year, Sendai Ikuei put its three strongest runners first, leaving the last two stages to debuting first-years. Opening runner Nanaka Yonezawa  ran 19:15 for her 6.0 km stage to put Sendai Ikuei 30 seconds out front. Second runner Kokone Sugimori added 26 seconds to that, running 12:41 for 4.0975 km, with third runner Natsumi Yamanaka  putting in another 19 seconds with a 9:53 stage best on her 3.0 km leg. First-year Kurea Watanabe  added 1 last second on the 3....