This morning at 8:00 (Japan time, one of the night in Europe as the summer time ended at two in the night) took place the 57th edition of the 50km All Japan Race Walking.
The circuit was 2km (1km go & back) with a slight slope of 4m over 1km in the city center of Takahata in Yamagata Prefecture. Sunny day with a temperature ranging between 12°C and 18°C and a humidity rate that from the initial 75% is gradually reduced up to 55%.
As usual for the Japanese walkers this is one of the three selection races (together with Kobe and Wajima) for the upcoming World Championships in Doha 2019: a team member will be chosen.
50km men
The group of the best (without Iroki Arai who has decided not to start) immediately goes head to the race, with the following split times:
- 5km: 22:20 and the group is led by Tomohiro Noda (JPN), together with Isamu Fujisawa (JPN) and Kai Kobayashi (JPN)
- 10km: 44:25 (with the second 5km covered in 22:05) with Noda and Fujisawa at the head to which was added Katsuya Ishii (JPN), while Kobayashi lost 16" and transits in 44:41
- from 10 to 20km
Tomohiro Noda and Katsuya Ishii increase their pace and Isamo Fujisawa is 21".
These are the split times
- 15km: 1:06:07 (with the third 5km covered in 21:42)
- 20km: 1:27:59 (with the fourth 5km covered in 21:52)
Behind them Kai Kobayashi (JPN) in 1:28:38
Further behind was Takayuki Tanii (JPN) in 1:31:06, Masatora Kawano (JPN) and Shuto Goto (JPN) in 1:31:30.
- from 20 to 30km
Tomohiro Noda still increases the pace (21:30 the fifth 5km) and passes halfway through the race in 1:49:29
Katsuya Ishii is catched by Kai Kobayashi and Isamu Fujisawa and they pass in 1:50:12.
At 20km: Noda passes in 2:11:06 (with the sixth 5km covered in 21:37), with an impressive pace that provides for a great result from the world leadership of the 2018 season.
- from 30 to 40km
Tomohiro Noda continues with its impressive pace.
- between 30 and 35km: 21:39 (2:32:31)
- between 35 and 40km: 21:47 (2:54:28)
Behind him consolidates the second position Kai Kobayashi, while Isamu Fujisawa is in crisis that is reached and passed by Masatora Kawano (JPN) author of a split on the fourth 10km of 44:08 (21:51 + 22:17)
- last 10km
Tomohiro Noda has a slight decline and covers 5km between 40km and 45km in 22:20 (3:16:48).
But he continues on his pace and obtains in addition to the victory in 3:39:47 the new national record of Japan, (precedent of Yuki Yamazaki in 3:40:12, obtained in Wajima on April 12, 2009).
In addition to being the new national record of Japan this result represents the best seasonal world performance of 2018 in front of the result of Sergey Bakulin, RUS (3:42:20 - Cheboksary, RUS on June 9, 2018) and to that of Matej Toth, SVK ( 3:42:46 - Dudince, SVK on March 24, 2018).
Second place to Kai Kobayashi in 3:46:26
Third place to Masatora Kawano (born 23.10.1998) in 3:47:30 that celebrates the birthday of a few days ago.
Fourth place to the stainless Takayuki Tanii in 3:51:54
Fifth place to Shuto Goto in 3:52:17
Sixth place and last of the athletes under 4:00 am, Isamu Fujisawa in 3:58:49
The table below shows the 2018 season list on the 50km of the first 11 positions (including a Russian athlete).
It is incredible to note the leap in quality of Japan that presents in the first 11 performances of the year as many as six athletes.
| | MARK | COMPETITOR | DOB | NAT | VENUE | DATE |
| | | | | | | |
| 1 | 3:39:47 | Tomohiro NODA | 24 JAN 1996 |  JPN | Takahata (JPN) | 28 OCT 2018 |
| 2 | 3:42:20 | Sergey BAKULIN | 13 NOV 1986 |  RUS | Cheboksary (RUS) | 09 JUN 2018 |
| 3 | 3:42:46 | Matej TÓTH | 10 FEB 1983 |  SVK | Dudince (SVK) | 24 MAR 2018 |
| 4 | 3:44:25 | Hiroki ARAI | 18 MAY 1988 | JPN | Taicang (CHN) | 05 MAY 2018 |
| 5 | 3:44:31 | Hayato KATSUKI | 28 NOV 1990 | JPN | Taicang (CHN) | 05 MAY 2018 |
| 6 | 3:44:43 | Veli-Matti PARTANEN | 28 OCT 1991 |  FIN | Dudince (SVK) | 24 MAR 2018 |
| 7 | 3:44:52 | Satoshi MARUO | 28 NOV 1991 | JPN | Taicang (CHN) | 05 MAY 2018 |
| 8 | 3:44:59 | Maryan ZAKALNYTSKYY | 19 AUG 1994 |  UKR | Taicang (CHN) | 05 MAY 2018 |
| 9 | 3:45:29 | Qin WANG | 08 MAY 1994 |  CHN | Taicang (CHN) | 05 MAY 2018 |
| 10 | 3:46:26 | Kai KOBAYASHI | 28 FEB 1993 | JPN | Takahata (JPN) | 28 OCT 2018 |
| 11 | 3:47:30 | Masatora KAWANO | 23 OCT 1998 | JPN | Takahata (JPN) | 28 OCT 2018 |
50km women
Only four athletes at the start.
Victory to Serena Sonoda (JPN) in 4:29:45 (Japan's new national record)
These are his split times every 5km:
- 5km: 27:18
- 10km: 54:01
- 15km: 1:20:22
- 20km: 1:46:48
- 25km: 2:12:40
- 30km: 2:38:59
- 35km: 3:05:37
- 40km: 3:33:00
- 45km: 4:01:12
- 50km: 4:49:45
Second place to Nami Kumagai (JPN) in 4:40:39
Third place to Yuki Yoshizumi (JPN) in 4:43:03
Fourth place to Hirori Yokoyama (JPN) in 5:16:49
20km men
The race saw the return to a 20km of Yusuke Suzuki (JPN) after the various injuries that struck him after having signed the world record (1:16:36) on the distance to Nomi (JPN) on March 15, 2015.
Since then, Suzuki had no more raced on the 20km and in 2018 had only twice tested the 10.000m track walk (39:24.49 and 39:05.19) and once the 5,000m track walk (20:06.49).
The most aggressive opponent was Daisuke Matsunaga (JPN).
Suzuki immediately went ahead of the race to 5km in 19:51, while Matsunaga was in second place in 20:19. In third place a group of four athletes led by Yuta Koga (JPN)
At 10km the positions had not changed:
Suzuki: 40:06 (seconds 5km in 20:17)
Matsunaga 40:25 (seconds 5km in 20:07)
In third place the pair formed by Yuta Koga (JPN) and Kohei Toyama (JPN) in 40:40 (seconds 5km in 20:13).
At 15km Matsunaga reached, with a split on thirds 5km of 19:47, and passed Suzuki (for him 20:26), while Yuta Koga distances of 7" Kohei Toyama (1:01:01 against 1:01:08) .
The last 5km see Matsunaga continue on his pace in 20:23 and win the 20km in 1:20:36
Second place to Yusuke Suzuki (JPN) in 1:21:14
Third place to Yuta Koga (JPN) in 1:21:54
Fourth place to Kohei Toyama (JPN) in 1:22:58
20km women
Immediately at the head of the race Kaori Kawazoe (JPN) in 23:15, followed by Nanako Fujii (JPN) in 23:23 and by the couple Ai Michiguchi (23:34) and Masumi Fuchise (23:35).
Halfway through the race Kaori Kawazoe (47:00) is still leading, but his advantage over Nanako Fujii is reduced to 2" (47:02); Masumi Fuchise reached (47:57) and passed Ai Michiguchi (47:58).
Nanako Fujii forces the pace and covers the third 5km in 23:02 passing the 15km in 1:10:04.
On the other hand Kaori Kawazoe has a decline in thirds 5km (25:00 for a total of 1:12:00) and is approached by Ai Michiguchi (1:12:20).
Victory to Nanako Fujii (JPN) in 1:33:27
Second place to Kaori Kawazoe (JPN) in 1:35:26
Third place to Ai Michiguchi (JPN) in 1:33:04
Fourth place to Masumi Fuchise (JPN) in 1:37:23
Fifth place to Maika Yagi (JPN) in 1:37:37
(photos by Akihiro Sugimoto - JPN and Toshihori Hatanaka JPN, co-operation by Tomoya Ishii, JPN)