In Japan to celebrate the new year, January 1, 2023 was not only competed in Tokyo.

Today we like to inform our readers, thanks to the help of our friend Akihiro Sugimoto, about the competition that took place in Chita, Aichi near Nagoya (Central Japan International Airport).

The 2023 edition is the 54th edition of this early-year race which includes a 20km (unfortunately canceled due to lack of members) but also a series of races over the distances of 10km and 5km.

The 5km tests were reserved for high school athletes, while the 10km ones, as well as obviously being reserved for high school athletes, were also open to the upper categories of athletics.

If anyone still has doubts about the sporting approach to walking discipline in Japan, this kind of school-club collaboration will probably understand how Japan has become a world power in walking in just a few years.

The day in Chita was a little windy but sunny New Year's Day, adequate climate for a race.

5km road walk

Athletes started on 10:00 with 19 high school athletes. 

Kota Hirashawa (men, Matsukawa High School) and Eimi Teramoto (women, Asahigaoka High School) kept their lead till the finish line.

High School men

Ten athletes started om 10:00, 9 finished and 1 DQ

1.- Kota Hirashawa in 24:15

2.- Fukuhiro Kojima in 25:59

3.- Takuto Suzuki in 26:26

High School women

Nine athletes started and 9 finished

1.- Eimi Teramoto in 25:16

2.- Nanoha Okada in 25:30

3.- Rio Matsumoto in 26:01

10km road walk

Men

Athletes started on 10:40 with 11 athletes. 

Three athletes started and 3 finished

1.- Takahiro Umemoto in 46:35 (Nagoya University) who walked with the fastest laps in all races of today

2.- Kohei Kawazoe in 48:18

3.- Takahisa Nakashima in 54:09

High School men

Four athletes started, 3 finished and 1 DQ

1.- Eichi Kato in 51:03

2.- Kosei Ogata in 51:55

3.- Taishi Nagayama in 54:09

Women

Momoka Noritake was the only athlete of women's 10km at the start, but she DNF before she arrived the half distance.

High School women

Three athletes started and 3 finished

1.- Kae Kondo in 51:03

2.- Honoka Tsukamoto in 54:47

3.- Taishi Nagayama in 59:24

(Photos by Akihiro Sugimoto - JPN)

Official results