Cross Country isn't a big thing in Japan, and with a tough course and hot conditions at the Bathurst World Cross Country Championships the Japanese national team didn't make much of an impact. And despite being the land of the long-distance relay, it declined to field a squad for the Mixed Relay 8 km. As usual the U20 women's squad placed the best of the lot in team scoring, taking 5th despite its two strongest members, Nanaka Yonezawa and Yuya Sawada , finishing outside the scoring. Top two placers Kana Mizokami and Miku Muraoka both cracked the top 20. The U20 men were 9th, with H.S. 5000 m NR holder Hiroto Yoshioka and 28:31 road 10 km high schooler Sonata Nagashima both DNFing in the mid-30s heat after leading the first lap. Yoshioka collapsed at a white line a few meters before the finish, then crawled feet-first until he collapsed again as soon as his feet touched the front edge of the finish line. But when he was unable to get fully across he was t...
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