The great performances of the Japanese walkers still continue.
This time it happened in Inzai (JPN), city located less than 30km west of Narita (Tokyo airport), on Sunday 25 October during the 9th Meeting of the Juntendo University where took place race walk events on 5.000m distance.
5.000m track walk men
In this race the best distance performance in Asia which was held by Toshikazu Yamanishi with a time of 18:34.88 was broken after just over a month (22.9.2020).
Koki Ikeda (of Toyo University) in 18:20.14 established the new best performance in Asia on the 5.000m track walk, which obviously represents not only the athlete's personal best but also the new record of Japan.
Unfortunately, this performance cannot be considered an Asian record as the Asian Athletics Association does not recognize 5.000m track walking as a record (but as a best performance).
However, it is the fourth world performance ever, after those of Hatem Ghoula (TUN - 18:05.49), of Robert Korzeniowski (POL - 18:17.22) and of Yohann Diniz (FRA - 18:18.01).
We would not want to be in the shoes of our friend Fumio Imamura (the selector and head coach of race walking in Japan) to have to choose the three who will be part of the team for the home games.
Second place to Yuta Koga (Meiji University) in 18:26.70 personal best and 5th world performance ever.
Third place in Masatora Kawano (Toyo University in 18:28.26 new personal best (previous of 18:51.86 obtained in Abashiri, JPN on 4.7.2018) and 7th world performance ever.
Fourth place to Hiroto Jusho in 19:26.00.
Great personal success of Marcia dal Mondo's friend, Koji Hoga Miura, a biomechanic from Japan, who also trains some athletes from (Meiji University):
- 5th place to Yuki Murao in 19:30.72 personal best
- 7th place to Ryo hamanishi in 19:57.22
- 13th place to Kaichi Shimizu in 20:51.33 personal best
- 14th place to Ryota Kobayashi in 20:55.61
5.000m track walk women
In the women's race victory of Kumiko Okada (JPN) in 21:33.22
Second place to Nomi Hayashi (JPN) in 22:24.63
Third place to Sayori Matsumoto (JPN) in 23:39.42