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At this morning's Distance Challenge in Kyoto (Conti Tour Challenger meeting) the last 2 laps of the Men's 5000 'A' race were pretty wild - watch it at https://youtu.be/Qjf7LqIKknU?t=12767 (link timestamped to start with 2 laps to go).
In the preceding Women's 5000 'A' race 19yo Judy Jepngetich won in 14:50.20 (a 6s PB). Tanaka 5th in 15:06 & Hironaka 6th in 15:17. From the early pace - 2:57 & 3:00 - it seems like it was set up as a Japanese record attempt (Hironaka's 14:52.84) but neither of them had much left in the closing stages.
The Women's 10,000 'A' race field was hit by several big-name withdrawals but was still quite deep:
1 Rino Goshima 31.22.38 (12s outside her PB; halfway in 15:39)
2 Momoka Kawaguchi 31:57.81 PB (a 14s PB)
3 Wakana Itsuki 31:58.59 PB (I'm really chuffed for Itsuki dipping under 32 for the first time - previous PB 32:04 - she's a real trooper)
4 Yuka Takashima 31:59.60 (34yo; 2015 WCh & 2016 Rio representative with a 31:33 PB)
5 Hina Yanagitani 32:01.25 PB (a 30s PB for this 22yo)
6 Naruha Sato 32:03.48 (11s outside her PB)
In the 'B' race Natsuki Sekiya (31:50 PB) produced a gutsy effort to win in 32:51.14, her fastest time for 3 years and an encouraging sign that she can get her career back on track. At 25yo she has time on her side.
Keita Yoshida (24yo) won the Men's 10,000 from a (by Japanese standards) very sparse field of 8 athletes, running an 11s PB in 28:13:34 (halfway in 14:00).
In the preceding Women's 5000 'A' race 19yo Judy Jepngetich won in 14:50.20 (a 6s PB). Tanaka 5th in 15:06 & Hironaka 6th in 15:17. From the early pace - 2:57 & 3:00 - it seems like it was set up as a Japanese record attempt (Hironaka's 14:52.84) but neither of them had much left in the closing stages.
The Women's 10,000 'A' race field was hit by several big-name withdrawals but was still quite deep:
1 Rino Goshima 31.22.38 (12s outside her PB; halfway in 15:39)
2 Momoka Kawaguchi 31:57.81 PB (a 14s PB)
3 Wakana Itsuki 31:58.59 PB (I'm really chuffed for Itsuki dipping under 32 for the first time - previous PB 32:04 - she's a real trooper)
4 Yuka Takashima 31:59.60 (34yo; 2015 WCh & 2016 Rio representative with a 31:33 PB)
5 Hina Yanagitani 32:01.25 PB (a 30s PB for this 22yo)
6 Naruha Sato 32:03.48 (11s outside her PB)
In the 'B' race Natsuki Sekiya (31:50 PB) produced a gutsy effort to win in 32:51.14, her fastest time for 3 years and an encouraging sign that she can get her career back on track. At 25yo she has time on her side.
Keita Yoshida (24yo) won the Men's 10,000 from a (by Japanese standards) very sparse field of 8 athletes, running an 11s PB in 28:13:34 (halfway in 14:00).
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