The Cali 22 World U20 Championships got underway Monday, with Japan fielding a team of 34. There are eight current U20 Japanese women under 9:10 for 3000 m, but even though that distance has been an area of strength in past World U20 Championships Japan was strangely absent from the first track final of the meet. Gold went to Kenyan Betty Chelangat in 9:01.03, Ethiopian Tsiyon Abebe taking silver in 9:03.85 and Kenyan Nancy Cherop bronze in 9:05.98. U20 and high school NR holder Keita Sato ran the day's other final, the men's 5000 m. Ranked 6th in the field on SB, Sato spent the first 2/3 of the race hovering around 8th to 10th before abruptly fading after 3600 m and finishing 11th in 14:26.19. High schooler Hiroto Yoshioka made a big play to get into contact with the lead group right before Sato dropped and held on for 7th in 14:10.68, the only athlete born outside Africa to make the top 10. Ethiopia took gold here with Addisu Yihune outkicking Eritreans Merhawi Mebrah...
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