japan running news

by Brett Larner National record holders Minori Hayakari (Kyoto Koka AC) and Masato Yokota (Team Fujitsu) led the performances by the Japanese contingent at the July 15 Lappeenranta Games in Finland with wins in the women's 3000 m steeplechase and men's 800 m. The veteran Hayakari led start to finish after setting the race off at national record pace. For Yokota it was his second European win in less than a week, both wins clocking just off his national record. 2010 Lappeenranta Games - Top Results click here for complete results Men's 3000 m 1. Geoffrey Kipsang (Kenya) - 7:59.57 2. Matti Rasanen (Finland) - 8:02.18 3. Jukka Keskisalo (Finland) - 8:02.23 ----- 6. Satoru Kitamura (Team Nissin Shokuhin) - 8:14.92 Women's 3000 mSC 1. Minori Hayakari (Kyoto Koka AC) - 9:52.10 2. Livia Toth (Hungary) - 9:54.16 3. Valeria Mara (Ukraine) - 9:54.98 Men's 1500 m 1. Kiprono Menjo (Kenya) - 3:38.40 2. Niclas Sandells (Germany) - 3:41.62 3. Mikael Bergdahl (Germany) - 3:42.5...

by Brett Larner A number of top pro Japanese men competed in the 2009 Lappeenranta Games in Finland on July 12. The biggest results came in the 5000 m, where 2008 World Half Marathon 5th place finisher Yusei Nakao (Team Toyota Boshoku) was 3rd and Yuki Sato (Team Nissin Shokuhin), who earlier this season ran a PB of 27:38 in the 10000 m, was a DNF. Below are the top results of races featuring Japanese runners. For complete results click here . 2009 Lappeenranta Games - Top Results Men's 5000 m 1. Lewis Korir (Kenya) - 13:36.23 2. Jukka Keskisalo (Finland) - 13:39.81 3. Yusei Nakao (Japan) - 13:44.92 ----- 5. Satoru Kitamura (Japan) - 13:50.33 6. Naoki Okamoto (Japan) - 13:50.88 7. Suehiro Ishikawa (Japan) - 13:52.15 9. Seigo Ikegami (Japan) - 14:14.19 DNF - Yuki Sato (Japan) Men's 1500 m 1. Mohammed Shahween (Saudia Arabia) - 3:42.81 2. Niclas Sandells (Finland) - 3:43.72 3. Jonas Hamm (Finland) - 3:44.39 ----- 7. Yuki Matsuoka (Japan) - 3:46.72 12. Yasunori Murakami (Japan) -...