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Kawasaki Sets 10000m Walk National Record at Hokuren Shibetsu Meet

by Brett Larner

Racewalker Mayumi Kawasaki of Team Ebisawa Seisakujo marked the biggest result of the Hokuren Distance Challenge series` second competition, held Sunday in Shibetsu, Hokkaido. Kawasaki set a mark of 44:04.15 in the women`s 10000 m racewalk, breaking the old Japanese national record by over 25 seconds. Men`s 10000 m racewalk victor Koichiro Morioka of Team Fujitsu likewise had a strong performance with his 39:32.08 finish time, less than 5 seconds off the national record.

Team Daihatsu`s Ryoko Kisaki joined the list of contenders for the Beijing Olympics team with her Olympic B-standard 32:12.14 win in the women`s 10000 m. Winning times in other events were less remarkable as many athletes used the meet simply as a tune-up for the upcoming National Track and Field Championships. Top finishers in each event are listed below; complete results are available here.

The Hokuren Distance Challenge continues June 11 in Fukagawa, Hokkaido.

Men`s 1500 m
1. Yasuhiro Tago (Team Chugoku Denryoku) - 3:42.65

Women`s 1500 m
1. Ann Karindi (Team Yutaka Giken) - 4:19.85

Men`s 1500 m B-Group
1. Seok Hyo Eom (South Korea) - 3:48.73

Men`s 3000 m
1. Jonathan Ndiku (Team Hitachi Densen) - 7:54.04

Women`s 3000 m
1. Satomi Matsumoto (Team Nihon ChemiCon) - 9:16.78

Men`s 3000 m B-Group
1. Shuji Yoshigawa (Team Kyudenko) - 8:12.63

Women`s 3000 m B-Group
1. Takami Nishiyama (Team Shikoku Denryoku) - 9:28.30

Men`s 10000 m
1. Takeshi Makabe (Team Kanebo) - 28:36.54

Women`s 10000 m
1. Ryoko Kisaki (Team Daihatsu) - 32:12.14

Men`s 10000 m B-Group
1. Kazuyuki Maeda (Team Konica-Minolta) - 29:29.91

Men`s 10000 m Walk
1. Koichiro Morioka (Team Fujitsu) - 39:32.08

Women`s 10000 m Walk
1. Mayumi Kawasaki (Team Ebisawa Seisakujo) - 44:04.15 - NR

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