Last week, while in Cali were taking place the Youth World Championships in Japan in two days was held the 2015 edition of Hokuren Distance Challenge.
The first day (July 12, 2015) was held in Kitami with the first leg the two male and female on distance of 5.000m track walk.
5.000m track walk men
Victory with the new national record on the Japanese Yusuke Suzuki distance in 18:37.22 that had a hard in beating the now eternal rival home Eiki Takahashi, second in 18:37.60 (also under the previous record).
Split times each 1.000m: 3.47-7.32-11.14-14.57
In third place Kai Kobayashi in 19:24.00
5.000m track walk women
Victory goes to Ai Michighchi in 21:51.90 that has no difficulty to beat Rena Goto, second in 22:02.25.
Split times each 1.000m.: 4.23-8.50-13.14-17.36
Third place to Chiaki Asada in 22:09.26
The second day (July 16, 2017) was held in Abashiri with both male and female events over the distance this time of 10.000m track walk.
10,000m track walk men
Also in this test Yusuke Suzuki got the better, but this time in a much sharper, his rival Eiki Takahashi.
Split times each 1.000m: 3.59-7.39-11.28-15.16-19.05-22.52-26.40-30.31-34.20.
The time for Suzuki (38:23.10) is once again a new record of Japan on the distance and says a lot about the state of the form in which the Japanese athlete will present at the upcoming World Championships in Beijing.
It will be a tough nut to crack even for the strong Chinese team than at home certainly will not want to look bad.
Even though Eiki Takahashi fell below 39 minutes (38:44.49) to get the better of Kai Kobayashi third in 39: 28.38.
10.000m track walk women
Great time for the winner of the women's category, Kumiko Okada (43:26.13), which, on track, is the second best time of the year, after the one in Elisa Rigaudo of 42.55.35 obtained in Rieti last Jume 13, 2015.
Split times eachi 1.000m: 4.18-8.38-13.00-17.21-21.42-26.03-30.26-34.48-39.10.
Second place to the winner of Kitami, Ai Michiguchi, with a time of 44:22:19, while in third place comes Rei Inoue (45: 09.13) who had arrived in Kitami fourth.
(Photos by Shuhei Fukuda - JPN and/or JAAF, thanks to Tomiya Ishii and Koji Hoga Miura - in cover photo Yusuke Suziki)
Yusuke Suzuki dopo la gara ad Abashiri
Shortly after the start in Kitami
Yusuke Suzuki and Eiki Takahashi in Kitami
Yusuke Suzuki and Eiki Takahashi in Kitami