Bromell takes 100m at Juntendo International 2015 (Chiba, Japan), by Ayako Oikawa for RunBlogRun

Kaylin Whiteney, photo by Ayako Oikawa

Kerri Gallagher, photo by Ayako Oikawa

Tony McQuay having some fun, photo by Ayako Oikawa

One of the fortunate benefits of being an athletic pilgrim, is meeting people around the world. Ayako Oikawa is a Japanese journalist based in US who writes for the Japanese athletic media.

Ayako is everywhere. I remember hearing “Larry” on a street in Beijing and it was Ayako coming out of the stadium during the 2008 Olympics. Ayako wrote this piece about the shake out meet that was held in Chiba, Japan before teams left to head to Beijing.

Thanks Ayako!

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Juntendo International 2015 in Chiba, Japan

Ayako Oikawa

Bromell takes the 100m title

Juntendo International was held in Juntendo University in Chiba, Japan on August 15th. Athletes from US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan made their final checks for the Beijing World Championships.

In the 100m, US sprinter Trayvon Bromell finished strong in 10.23 (-0.7). His PR is 9.84, but this was just part of training to sharpen up before Beijing. “I used this race to check the technique. I have to fix it because I hadn’t run a race since Monaco. Now I’m prepared for the next race”.

World leader in the Long jump, Jeff Henderson also ran 100m in 10.50 in order to check his speed for the approach. “Since I’m a speed jumper, I had to check my speed, so I can jump further. Training has been great. I’m healthy. No injuries. Right now, I am confidence in going to the World Championships in Beijing.”

Women’s 800m, American Kerri Gallagher won in 2.04.04. The pacer went out with 60 seconds for thefirst lap, and Gallagher took the lead and increased the gap. “It was good. It was a bit windy, but it was good. Today, I wanted to be competitive and keep a pace which I did well. No one came with me, but you’ve got to be tough in a race. It’ll be a tough race in Beijing.”

17 years old Kaylin Whiteny started very strong and took big lead in last half. She struggle a bit in the end but clocked 23. 04 with 2.1m tail wind. “It was very windy, so I wanted to run 22 seconds, but I won. The weather in Japan is like home. Hot and humid. I’m having a great time”. She won 200m in World Junior last year in Eugene, Oregon, and this is her second senior team after World Relays in Bahama. “Being in senior events is different. Humbling. Sometimes I feel like a baby, but I earned a spot so I can be as good as they are”.

In 400m, Tony McQuay took first place in 45.33 and his US teammate, Bryshon Nellum got second with 45.64. It was a bit windy in home stretch, but both managed to finish strong and showed how they are ready for 4x400m relay in Beijing. “I’m in race shape. I just need to stay on focus. Hopefully, I can run in the final for gold in Beijing” Tony said. Bryshon commented “The race was pretty good. It was good run. Especially I hadn’t ran since the US Nationals. I think this was very good tune up for Beijing”.

New Zealand 800m runner, Angie Petty smashed 36 years old national record in 1000m with 2.37.28, and the time takes her to be 6th in the world this year in the event. Petty, smiling ear to ear in front of the clock said, “I’m happy and looking forward to compete in Beijing”.

The last race was Japanese 400m hurdle national champion Yuki Matsushita’s moment. He is a former Juntendo University athlete and still trains there. He started a bit slow, through the back stretch even with a tail wind, but he picked a pace and ran strong in second half. He battled with Cochrane from New Zealand, and nailed in 49.14 with his personal best. “I just came back from team Japan training camp, so my body was very tired. I had chances to run with 400m runners in the training camp, so I probably learn the rhythm and worked out”.

There were about 150 athletes in the event. The meet was big challenge for Juntendo University because they never had international athletes in a track meet before, so they had an English-Japanese bilingual stadium announcer, played music, and English program, etc. Volunteer students worked hard and seemed like they learned a lot from the foreign athletes.

All of American athletes said “It has been great to be in Japan. Juntendo University are great host for us”.

Results

Men

100m (-0.7)

1. Trayvon Bromell (USA) 10.23

2. Jeffery Henderson (USA) 10.50

3. Yuki Takeshita (Sumitomo Electric) 10.58

200m (-1.8)

1. Yuta Ozawa (Chiba Minami High school) 21.37

2. Trey Hardee (USA) 21.49

3. Keisuke Nakamura (Ami AC) 21.76

400m

1. Tony McQuay (USA) 45.33

2. Bryshon Nellum (USA) 45.64

3. Takamasa Kitagawa (Juntendo University) 46.42

400mH

1. Yuki Matsushita (Team Mizuno) 49.14

2. Michael Cochrane (NZL) 49.74

3. Cameron French (NZL) 49.92

1. Tomas Walsh (NZL) 21m30

2. Daichi Nakamura (Kokushikan University Club) 17m27

3. Shun Yamamoto (Chukyo University Club) 16m73

1. Sam Kendricks (USA) 5m70

2. Seito Yamamoto (Japan) 5m50

3. Jacob Blankenship (USA) 5m40

Women

100m (-3.6)

1. Melissa Breen (AUS) 11.85

2. Nodoka Seko (Jyoba Club) 12.10

3. Maki Wada (Mizuno) 12.54

200m (2.1m)

1. Kaylin Whiteny (USA) 23.04

2. Ella Neison (AUS) 23.53

3. Melissa Breen (AUS) 23.81

400m

1. Anneliese Rubie (AUS) 52.20

2. Morgan Mitchell (AUS) 52.82

3. Jess Gulli (AUS) 53.84

800m

1. Kerri Gallangher (USA) 2.04.04

2. Mayuka Kitane (Juntendo University) 2.11.69

3. Kana Sugiyama (Juntendo University) 2.11.96

1000m

1. Angie Petty (NZL) 2.37.28

2. Mayuka Kitane (Juntendo University) 2.49.13

3. Kyoko Koyama (Juntendo University) 2.49.34

100mH (1.5m)

1. Michelle Jenneke (AUS) 13.30

2. Ayako Kimura (Edion) 13.57

3. Chisato Seiyama (Tsukuba University) 14.08

400mH

1. Manami Kira (At home) 57.65

2. Miyabi Tago (Nishi Sports) 61.05

3. Ryoka Kawabata (Hosei University) 61.09

1. Kelsey Lee Roberts (USA) 59m58

2. Risa Miyashita (Osaka Athletic University) 55m33

3. Ikumi Nishiyama (Chukyo University) 50m68

1. Jeneva Stevens (USA) 17m44

2. Aya Ota (Fukuoka University) 15m17

3. Barbara Nwaba (USA) 14m64

1. DeAnna price (USA) 71m90

2. Amanda Bingson (USA) 70m02

3. Jeneva Stevens (USA) 67m82

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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