A splendid sunny morning in Tokyo, with a clear sky, was the choreography of the first race of 2020 which was also valid for the 68th edition of the Tokyo Walking Championships.
During the presentation we had indicated as the mandatory favorite Tomohiro Noda, but in the end Yusuke Suzuki also participates at the meeting and the burdens and honors of the race leader passed on the shoulders of the 50km World Champion of Doha 2019.
20km men
The audience of the Japanese walk is becoming ever and ever wider and new names are presented.
We refer to Motofumi Suwa (JPN) in particular who has been able to keep up with the World Champion and world recordman of the 20km for most of the race and losing in the end only for 48". For Motofumi Suwa the Tokyo morning also offered, in addition to the good wishes of good 2020, also a brilliant personal best in 1:20:49 (his previous personal best of 1: 22:08 was from the edition of the Kobe Japan Championships in 17.02.2019).
Of course Yusuke Suzuki (JPN) walked with good training pace for him, but still starting the 2020 season after the evening we imagine to be celebrating in Tokyo too, and completing the 20km in 1:20:01 is a performance that several European athletes would sign immediately.
After the first two other two athletes finished the race under the 1:22:00 wall.
Third place in Tomohiro Noda (JPN) in 1: 21.24
Fourth place in Yutaro Murayama (JPN) in 1:21:58
Good performance of the fifth arrival, Hiroto Jusho (not yet twenty years old having been born on 11.1.2000) who after the qualitative leap made at Nomi on 17.3.2019 where he had finished the race in 1:22.55, had had during the past season swinging performance. This morning he had a good 1:22:37 his second ever performance.
Last year's winner Yuya Suganami (JPN) had to be content to arrive in 15th place with a mark of 1:25:59.
Below the first 20km world list of year 2020:
10km women
We had said during the presentation of the race that the two favorites were Kaori Kawazoe (JPN) and Chiaki Asada (JPN). So it was for a few kilometers when Chiaki Asada abandoned the leading group.
Three were in the leading pack for a while: Kaori Kawazoe (JPN), Nami Hayashi (JPN) and Hong Kong athlete Ching Siu Nga Jessica (HKG).
Soon, however, Kaori Kawazoe (JPN) forces her pace and wins in 45:05, not far from the personal best of 44:45 obtained last 1.1.2019 on the same course here in Tokyo.
Second place to Nami Hayashi (JPN) (born 11.8.1999) with the new personal best of 45:58 (previous of 47:36 obtained obtained on 1.1.2019 on the same course here in Tokyo).
Third place to the surprising Ching Siu Nga Jessica (HKG) with the new personal best of 45:53 (previous of 46:55 obtained obtained on 1.1.2019 on the same course here in Tokyo).
They follow:
Fourth, Serena Sonoda (JPN) with the new personal best of 46:37 (previous of 47:31 obtained obtained on 15.4.2017 in Wajima, JPN)
Quinta, Chiaki Asada (JPN) in 46:44 (last year here in Tokyo she clocked 46:12).