Philes Ongori in Osaka (© Getty Images)
As expected, fast early season 10,000m performances were the highlights at the 56th Hyogo Relays Carnival in Kobe, Japan, on Sunday (27).
The men’s race was won by Japan-based Kenyan Josphat Ndambiri in 27:15.82, the fastest performance of the year. Although the race was not decided until the home straight, Ndambiri, who was fifth over the distance at the 2007 World Championships, said, “I knew I was going to win at 8000m.”
Micah Njeru took the initial lead, but by the 800m point Gedion Ngatuny, who was fourth at the 2007 World Cross Country Championships, took over the lead. After passing 1000m in 2:44, 2000m in 5:27, 3000m in 8:11 and 4000m in 10:57, only three runners – Ngatuny, Ndambiri and John Kariuki - were left in front. With eight laps remaining, Kariuki fell behind leaving Ndambiri and Ngatuny in front. The race came down to last 110m, with Ndambiri, who covered the final 200m in 26.7, winning by 2.09 seconds.
Virtual dead heat in women’s race
The women’s race was even more exciting. Battling to the finish, Kenyan Philes Ongori of the Hokuren track team, out-leaned Yoko Shibui, the Japanese 10,000m record holder. Both were credited with the same time, a world-leading 31:19.73.
The performance was less than one second shy Ongori’s personal best.
Ongori led from the start, covering each lap in around 76 seconds, thus turning it into the race of attrition. Ten runners were left in the lead pack by 2000m (6:15), which was reduced to eight by 3000m (9:23) and seven by 4000m (12:32). After passing 5000m in 15:42, Shibui took over the lead at 5100m. The lead pack quickly dwindled in size. Yurika Nakamura was left behind at 6000m (18:53), while Mari Ozaki was gone 200m later. After 6600m, Julia Mombi lost contact, leaving three - Shibui, Ongori and Yukiko Akaba) in front. Akaba was the next to go at 7200m. The race came down to a final sprint and Ongori outleaned Shibui at the end. The final 200m was covered in 33 seconds.
“I was little tired with three laps to go, but I knew if I stayed with Shibui, I could outsprint her in the last 200m,” Ongori said. “But Shibui was strong also. I hope to qualify for the Olympic Games by finishing in the top three at the Kenyan Trials on July 5.”
Said Shibui, “I am disappointed that I lost the race but it was good to clear the “A” standard. Now I only need to think about winning the national championships.”
Nakamura, who will be running the Marathon in Beijing, was third with 31:31.95, a huge improvement over her previous personal best of 32:24.65.
“It was good to crack the 32 minutes barrier at 10000m which was my goal,” Nakamura said, “but my problem was that I was not able to stay with the leaders after 6000m. I need to work on it before the Olympic Marathon.”
Yuriko Kobayashi, a World Junior and World Youth Championships medallist, won the 1500m convincingly with 4:15.99. Earlier this month Kobayashi cracked the Olympic “A” standard at 5000m when she clocked 15:07.37, and last weekend in Wakayama won the 3000m in 9:01.26. The 19-year-old confirmed that she’ll be taking a crack at the 1500m Olympic qualifying standard at the Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto early next month.
Other notable performances from the two-day carnival included Daisuke Arakawa 8.09m victory in the Long Jump and Ethiopian Yacob Jarso’s 8:19.23 win the 3000m Steeplechase.
Ken Nakamura assisted by Akihiro Onishi from Kobe for the IAAF
Leading results –
MEN -
10,000m:
Grand Prix (27):
1. Josphat Muchiri Ndambiri, KEN 27:15.82
2. Gedion Ngatuny, KEN 27:17.91
3. John Kariuki, KEN 27:40.36
4. Micah Njeru, KEN 28:11.30
5. Masato Kihara 28:29.40
6. Satoshi Irifune 28:32.36
7. Kosaku Hoshina 28:39.45
...
Asics Challenge (26):
Race 2 -
1. Nicholas Mulinge Makau, KEN 28:14.39
2. Mekubo Job Mogusu, KEN 28:15.22
3. Cyrus Njui, KEN 28:15.95
4. Harun Njoroge, KEN 28:16.53
5. Jefferson Siekei, KEN 28:20.57
6. Hillary Chenonge 28:39.25
...
3000m S/C (27):
1. Yacob Jarso, ETH 8:19.23
2. Yohitaka Iwamizu 8:39.19
3. Masatoshi Kikuchi 8:41.54
4. Tomohiro Nakagawa 8:46.53
5. Hiroyoshi Umegae 8:47.01
6. Keita Matsumoto 8:47.73
...
LJ (27):
1. Daisuke Arakawa 8.09m (1.0m/s)
...
DT (27):
1. Shigeo Hatakeyama 54.74m
...
WOMEN –
200m (27): -0.3m/s
1. Asami Tanno 23.79
...
1500m (27):
1. Yuriko Kobayashi 4:15.99
2. Minami Nakaarai 4:23.05
...
3000m (27):
1. Akane Taira 9:15.48
...
5000m (26):
Race 1 -
1. Maiko Yamaguchi 16:10.61
2. Yuka Takashima 16:13.33
3. Mikiko Hara 16:14.18
4. Saori Nejyo 16:14.66
5. Nazumi Tomonaga 16:17.86
6. Kaori Oyama 16:18.22
Race 2
1. Yasuko Kitano 16:15.41
2. Yuika Mori 16:16.17
3. Miho Notagashira 16:16.76
4. Michi Numata 16:20.47
5. Mina Nomura 16:23.63
6. Mai Ito 16:26.99
...
10,000m (27):
1. Philes Ongori, KEN 31:19.73
2. Yoko Shibui 31:19.73
3. Yurika Nakamura 31:31.95
4. Yukiko Akaba 31:36.54
5. Mari Ozaki 32:07.94
6. Flomena Cheyech, KEN 32:13.50
7. Chika Horie 32:17.31
8. Hiroko Miyauchi 32:19.73
9. Noriko Matsuoka 32:28.93
10. Madoka Ogi 32:33.32
11. Hiromi Ominami 32:34.07
12. Yukari Sahaku 32:37.59
13. Miki Ohira 32:53.12
14. Remi Nakazato 32:54.55
15. Megumi Seike 33:16.87
16. Ryoko Kizaki 33:21.90
17. Akane Wakita 33:28.83
18. Ikuyo Yamashita 33:41.47
DNF - Julia Mombi
