This morning, Japan time, the 59th edition of the All Japan Race Walking took place in Takahata.
The edition on 2022 will be valid as:
- Selection of the Japan National Team (35km) for Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships
- Selection of the Japan National Team (35km) for Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games
The weather today was good for athletes.
Rain stops before the start and temperature was 15°C at the start and 19,5°C at the arrival of last athlete.
Humidity was very high in first 2 hours (88-84%) and better in second part of the race (68-62%)
35km men
The headlights were focused precisely on this men's race, in order to be able to compare the outcome of the same with the seasonal world list.
- at 10km
After a passage at 5km in 21:32 by a group of seven walkers (Toshikazu Yamanishi; Satoshi Maruo; Subaru Ishida; Hayato Katsuki, Kazuki Takahashi, Motofumi Suwa and Yuki Ito) at 10km there are only four to set the pace: Yamanishi, Maruo, Takahashi, Suwa.
Their passage is 42:21 with the second 5km covered in 20:49
Followed by: Ishida, Katsuki and Ito in 42:58
- at 20km
The selection of the leading group took place shortly after 10km when Yamanishi and Maruo forced the pace.
At 15km they took the lead in 1:02:51 with a 9 second advantage over Takahashi and Suwa, but at 20km it became 1:08
The passage to 20km therefore sees Yamanishi and Maruo in the lead in 1:23:33 (10km seconds in 41:12).
Suwa and Takahashi follow in 1:24:41 (10km seconds in 41:34) and then Ishida (1:25:37)
- at 30km
Yamanishi looks like a steamroller moving forward at an almost constant speed.
In the third 10km he covered in 2:04:57 (with a split of 41:24) he was able to clear Maruo by 45 seconds and take the lead firmly.
Maruo passes in 2:05:42
In third position is Subaru Ishida who with a fraction of 43:10 on the third 10km has overtaken and detached both Suwa and Takahashi.
Suwa finally gave up and was also overtaken by Katsuki who passed behind Takahashi.
- last 5km
Yamanishi covers the last 5km in 21:21 and flies to victory
For the other positions it is only recorded that Katsuki overtakes Takahashi
Order of arrival
1.- Yamanishi Toshikazu in 2:26:18 (11th seasonal world performance)
2.- Satoshi Maruo in 2:27:33
3.- Subaru Ishida in 2:30:37
4.- Hayato Katsuki in 2:32:21
5.- Kazuki Takahashi in 2:35:26
6.- Motofumi Suwa in 2:40:23
7.- Yuki Ito in 2:42:33 (after a stop of 3:30 in Penality Zone due two 3 red cards)
8.- Yamamoto Toru in 2:48:46
35km women
Easy victory of Serena Sonoda with this split times
- 10km: 47:02
- 20km: 1:33:58
- 30km: 2:23:08
- last 5km in 26:01
Order of arrival
1.- Serena Sonoda in 2:49:09
2.- Maika Yagi in 2:59:10
3.- Mao Tatsumi in 3:08:12
4.- Yuki Yoshizumi in 3:14:14
5.- Kae Sugiyama in 3:17:27
6.- Aoi Shibata in 3:27:41
(Photos by Akihiro Sugimoto - JPN)
Video of the day: click here
Official results
Turning point shot by Seiya Nagaoka - JPN
(from left: 9 Koraro Wake; Serena Sonoda; 10 Tatsuya Tanaka; Toshikazu Yamanishi, 4 Satoshi Maruo)