14/04/2018   Wajima (JPN): First day of 102nd 50km Japan Championships






 

The first day races in Wajima took place on Saturday afternoon on a fresh day with a variable temperature
 
 
 
10km Senior Men
 
Forty-one men at the start, a sign of a very interesting movement.
 
Quickly the 5km pass (20.24-20: 23) with two athletes ahead of the race: Yasushi Morita (JPN), and Kazuya Endo (JPN) followed by Toshiki Ueda (JPN), Yoshida So (JPN), Atsuto Kawata ( JPN) and Yamato Nakajima (JPN) in 20:37
In the second part of the race Kazuya Endo (JPN), and Yamato Nakajima (JPN) will be disqualified.
The second part of the race will then see Toshiki Ueda (JPN) attempting to catch the leader Yasushi Morita, but will have to settle for second place after covering the last 5 km in 20:47.
 
Victory to Yasushi Morita (JPN) in 41.14
Second place to Toshiki Ueda (JPN) in 41.24
Third place to Yoshida So (JPN) in 41:29
 
 
10km Senior Women
 
Nineteen women at the start.
 
At 5km (20.57) two are the leaders of the race: Ai Michiguchi (JPN) and Rena Goto (JPN).
 
In the second part of the race, Ai Michiguchi (JPN) kept her pace steady (22:57) while Rena Goto (JPN) covered the second 5km in 23:25.
 
Victory to Ai Michiguchi (JPN) in 45.55
Second place to Rena Goto (JPN) in 46:22
Third place to Yuki Yoshizumi (JPN) in 46.54 (second part of the race in 23.38)
 
Completed the race in fifteen, with 3 DQ and 1 DNF.
 
 
 
10km U20 Men
 
Fifty-nine athletes at the start.
 
Fast passage to 5km (20.23-20:24) with seven athletes leading the race: Sho Sakazaki (JPN), Tatsuhiko Nagayama (JPN), Motifumi Suwa (JPN), Hiroto Jusho (JPN), Takumi Suzuki (JPN) , Yuta Koga (JPN) and Yu Takeuchi (JPN).
In the second part of the race will be then disqualified Takumi Suzuki (JPN), Yuta Koga (JPN) and Yu Takeuchi (JPN) then leaving the green light for the other four to get the medals.
 
In the final part of the race Sho Sakazaki (JPN) and Tatsuhiko Nagayama (JPN) will force their pace and cover the last 5km in 20:07, the first one and 20:08 the second.
Motofumi Suwa will have the best (20:22) on Hiroto Jusho (20:43) for the third place.
 
Victory to Sho Sakazaki (JPN) in 40:30
Second place to Tatsuhiko Nagayama (JPN) in 40:32
Third place to Motofumi Suwa (JPN) in 40:46
 
In addition to these three that end under 41:00, three other athletes finish the race with a time less than 42:00.
The race end in 54 and 5 DQ.
 
 
 
10km U20 Women
 
Twenty-nine athletes at the start.
 
Nanako Fujii (JPN) took the lead with a pass to 5km in 22:57.
The following is Minori Yabuta (JPN) at 7" in 23:04.
After 30" a group of three athletes who will fight for the bronze: Maika Yagi (JPN), Aguri Hashi (JPN) and Yuu Yoshida (JPN)
 
Force the pace Nanako Fujii (JPN) in the second part of the race covering the second 5km in 22:45 and she win the race in 45:42.
Second place to Minori Yabura (JPN) in 47.10
Third place to Maika Yagi (JPN) in 47:19
 
 
 
(co-operation by Tomoya Ishii - Japan)