On September 9, 2017, Fukui (JPN) hosted the 87th edition of the Japan Intercollegiate Championships.
Athletes belonging to the different Universities of Japan have been walking on the classic 10,000m race distance for both men and women.
At the start, 38 athletes from the men's category and 27 for the female category were presented.
These numbers already give the feeling of development, even in university events, of race walk in the land of the rising sun. Their approach towards Tokyo 2020 also proceeds through these events.
10,000m track walk men
He had to fight more than expected Toshikazu Yamanishi (JAP), a recent winner of the University Games in Taipei, where he had walked on 20km (1:27:30) to win the race at 40:22.28.
For the young japanese (born Feb. 15, 1996) who already have of the distance two performances "under 40:00" obtained with the results of:
- 39:28.63 in Osaka on Sep. 13, 2015
- 39:55.80 in Kitakami on Oct. 9, 2016
this in Fukui is the third performance of his short career.
Second place Kouki Ikeda (JPN) with the time of 40:28.48 which instead represents his new personal best.
This year he had already obtained the following performances on the distance:
- 40:59.16 in Yokohama on May 20, 2017 in the Kanto District Collegiate
- 41:13.75 in Abashiri on July 13, 2017 in the Hokuren Distance Challenge
Third place Fumitaka Oikawa (JPN) in 40:32.57.
For him (born 5.4.1995) this is the third performance on the distance of young career after those of:
- 40:11.73 in Osaka on Sep. 13, 2015 representing his personal best
- 40: 32.57 in Tokyo on Jan. 8,2017
but we have to remember that in 2017 he still got two other results under 41:00.00:
- 40:36.65 in Abashiri on July 13, 2017 in the Hokuren Distance Challenge
- 40:57.36 in Yokohama on May 20, 2017 in the Kanto District Collegiate
To complete the picture of Japan's current wace walk we point out that five more athletes (Kazuki Takahashi, Masatora Kawano, Tomohito Noda, Katsuji Sukuki and Riku Shioya) finished the race under the wall of 41:00.00.
Also five more fell below 42:00.00.
We do not know how many other Countries in the world can afford such performances at university level. Perhaps only China.
10,000m track walk women
Also in this race, the winner, Rena Goto (JPN), established her personal best with the time of 45:49.80 (previous of 45:52.67 obtained in Osaka on Sep. 11, 2015 in the same University Championships).
Second place to Kaori Kawazoe (JPN) in 46:24.97, also the new personal best (previous of 47:03.10 obtained in Hiratsuka on June 10, 2017 at Collegiate Championships).
Third place to Yukiho Mizoguchi (JPN) in 47:07.79
(cooperation of Tomoya Ishii - JPN)