We have no idea how many people in February 2016 would have bet a few yen on a return of Yusuke Suzuki (JPN) to raceing.
The world record holder of the 20km (1:16:36) after the beautiful race of the record in Nomi on Mar. 15, 2015 had not finished the 20km of the World Championships in Beijing, and had had a series of physical problems (long groin) that we had kept him away from the races until the end of 2018 when after some approach of 10.000m on track walk he was back to compete in the 20km in Takahata where he got the second place in 1:21:14.
Unfortunately, at that time another tile fell on the walker's head: the suspension by the JAAF due to a bad question of inflated expenses, and the consequent disqualification of one year, then reduced to six months.
But his coach Shigeyuki Shimizu did not lose heart: a great psychological job to try to make the athlete recover the moment of shame and start from the beginning.
The return to the races takes place on May 19, 2018 in Kumagaya in a 5.000m meters track walk where Yusuke Suzuki arrives 5th in 20:06.49: two years and nine months had passed since the Beijing withdrawal.
Today Suzuki (converted by his coach Shimizu to 50km) wins the Japanese Champion title in 3:39:07 with the new national record of Japan and second world performance of the year after Wang Qin's 3:38:02 (CHN) obtained in Huangshan last Mar. 9, 2019. With it he gets the selection for the Doha World Championships. The time obtained today in Wajima is also less than that (3:39:47) with which last October Tomohiro Noda had won in Takahata becoming the first selected for the 50km in 2019.
In second place today Masatora Kawano (date of birth 23.10.1998) ending in 3:39:24. Also for him shattered the previous personal best he had achieved with Takahata's third place in 2018 (3:47:30). Less than a month ago in Nomi, Masatora Kawano had won silver at the 20km Asian Championships in 1:17:24 on 20km
Third place for Satoshi Maruo in 3:40:04 also for him personal best (previous of 3: 43 :: 03 obtained in London 2017).
Only fourth Hirooki Arai in 3:43:02.
A nice problem of choice for the head coach of Japan Fumio Imamura. Who knows how many other coaches, however, would like to have problems like this.
Other foreign athletes invited:
- Evan Dunfee (CAN) - 7th in 3:48:54
- Quentin Rew (NZL) - 8th in 3:49:48
- Damian Blocki (POL) - 9th in 3:51:04
- Ian Rayson (AUS) - 14th in 4:16:44
Short report
- 10km: two athletes Yusuke Suzuki, Masatora Kawano (44:48) led the race. At 5km they are together with Satoshi Maruo, Hirooki Arai, Kai Kobayashi and Hayato Katsuki. In front of them only Daisuke Matsunaga (43:58) who has only planned 35km.
- 20km: Suzuki and Kawano have increased the pace and take the lead in 1:28:24 (+ 43:56), but better than them has made Satoshi Maruo approaching (1:28:38; + 43:42 ). Matsunaga passes in 1:26:27 (+ 42:29)
- 30km: Maruo, Kobayashi and Arai have joined Suzuki and Kawano. The pass is 2:12:42.
- 40km: after the 35 km passed together with the others in 2:34:20 Suzuki forces the pace and with 5km in 20:49 passes at the head of the 40km in 2:55:08 (+ 42:27). It is followed by Masatora Kawano (+ 0:10) and Satoshi Maruo (+ 0:43)
Daisuke Matsunaga stop the watch on 35km in 2:30:13.
- last 10km: Suzuki continues on his pace and covers the last 10km in 42:58 (21:14 + 21:44) and goes on to win with 0:17 of advantage on Kawano which covers the last 10km in 44:06 (21:53 + 22:13). At least a minute afer (+ 0:57) arrives Satoshi Maruo with the last 10km in 44:12 (21:54 + 22:18).
Arai the outgoing champion arrives after 3:55.
50km women
At the start only seven athletes.
- 10km: the leader is is Masumi Fuchise (JPN) in 49:01 (24:26 + 24:35) followed by Serena Sonoda in 50:30 (25:16 + 25:14) which, however, has only planned 30km, and from Kelly Ruddick (AUS) in 53:59 (27:14 + 26:45) which instead of km has planned 35.
- 20km: Masumi Fuchise passes in 1:38:10 (24:36 + 24:33) followed by Serena Sonoda 1:41:27 (25:13 + 25:44). Kelly Ruddick follows in 1:47:31 (26:51 + 26:41)
- 30km: Masumi Fuchise passes in 2:27:24 (24:43 + 24:31). Serena Sonoda ends her race at 2:40:34 (27:10 + 31:37). Kelly Ruddick follows in 2:42:04 (27:37 + 26:56). She will ens her race at 35km in 3:11:28.
- 40km: Masumi Fuchise continues with his step and passes into 3:18:46 (24:44 + 26:38). Second is Mari Takeuchi (JPN) in 3:51:04
- last 10km: up to 45km the Masumi Fuchise the split time is in line with the previous steps (3:45:16 - with a 5km covered in 26:30). But the crisis comes soon after. The last 5 km are a Calvary (+ 34:40) but the expert athlete of Japan succeeds in establishing the new record of Japan and obviously the pass for Doha. She wins in 4:19:56.
Second place to Mari Takeuchi (JPN) in 4:51:36
(foto di Akihiro Sugimoto - JPN)