01/01/2019   Tokyo (JPN): Victories of Yuya Saganami and Kumiko Okada in 67th edition f New Year Race Walk Meeting






In the race to determine which was the first race of the year 2019 this year Tokyo for about ten minutes managed to give the start to the 20km of the men before the 50km start in Hong Kong.

 
 
20km Men
 
There were a hundred athletes of the 67th edition of the New year Race Walk Meeting, but there was no winner of the 2018 edition Daisuke Matsunaga who set la st year the excellent performance at 1:20:12.
As usual when these large mass of athletes are present, the number of those who do not show up at the start is quite high (in this case they were 15).
 
 

 

 

 
Equally numerous was the number of disqualified athletes (twelve) that the international-local mixed jury sanctioned because they did not comply with the race walking rules .
The race course took place next to the new National Stadium which will host the 2020 Olympic Games.
 
The men's race was resolved on the woolen thread in favor of Yuya Suganami (JPN) in 1:23:22 who however improved his personal best (previous 1:24:52 obtained in Takahata on Oct. 25, 2015)
Second place for Yutaro Murayama (JPN) in his early twenties at the same time of 1:23:22 also at the new personal best (previous 1:23:43 obtained in Kobe on Feb. 18, 2018 when he had finished the race in 19th place.
A little behind them (5 seconds) comes in third position Motofumi Suwa (JPN) in 1:23:27. Needless to say that also for him this performance represents the new personal best (previous from 1:24:30 obtained in Takahata on Oct. 28, 2018)
 
In the end they will be in 69 to complete the race.
 
 
 

 

 
 
10km women
 
All the best are at the start with the exclusion of Sae Matsumoto.
 
Beautiful head to head between Ai Michiguchi, Kaori Kawazoe and Kumiko Okada up to over 5km, when the latter forces the pace and gets a slight margin over the rivals.
It is enough to ensure victory.
 
First place for Kumiko Okada (JPN) in 44:11 (new Meeting record; previous of 44:43 established on Jan 1, 2012 bu Kumiko Otoshi). To remember that the athlete boasts on the distance on the track the time of 43:55.05.
Second place for Ai Michiguchi (JPN) in 44:40 (also this under the previous Meeting record) and new personal best (previous 45:54 obtained in Wajima, JPN on Apr. 14, 2018).
Third place for Kaori Kawazoe (JPN) in 44.45
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
10km U20 men
 
Victory for Ryouta Kobayashi (JPN) in 42:38
Second place for Ryuya Kataoka (JPN) in 43:11
Third place for Eiji Suzulki (JPN) in 43:13
 
88 athletes with 2 DNFs and 7 DQs completed the agar.
Seven athletes finished the race under 44.00 and three more under 45.00
 
 
5km U20 women
 
Victory for Minani Matsumoto (JPN) in 23:45
Second place for Sae Kitakoji (JPN) in 24: 1
Third place for Nanami Shibuya (JPN) in 24:19
 
Fourty athletes have completed the race.
 
 
 
(Co-operation by Tomoya Ishii - JPN)
(Photo supplied by Kumiko Okada - JPN)