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Wainaina Blocks Asian Jr. Champ Akamatsu's Double at HS Nationals

by Brett Larner

2010 Asian Junior Women's 3000 m Champion Mahiro Akamatsu of Kojokan H.S. came up agonizingly short of completing the 1500 m and 3000 m double on Aug. 2 at the 2010 National High School Track and Field Championships in Amami. With the 1500 m title under her belt Akamatsu coasted through yesterday's 3000 m qualifying heats, but on the final day of the 2010 Nationals she fell to the last sprint of Toyokawa H.S. Kenyan Beatrice Murugi Wainaina in the final. Wainaina, who had the fastest qualifying time in the three heats, 9:20.78, just clipped Akamatsu at the line as she won in 9:11.51. Akamatsu was 2nd in 9:11.60, 0.54 off her PB but a credible time given the sub-tropical weather. 3rd-placer Mary Wydira of Sendai Ikuei H.S. was the only other runner under 9:15, finishing in 9:12.33. The top 11 finishers all broke 9:30 including the identical twin Kyuma sisters Haruka, who ran last month's World Junior Championships 3000 m, and Moe, who will run this month's Youth Olympics 3000 m.

Click here for complete results from the 2010 National High School Track and Field Championships.

2010 National High School T&F Championships - Top Finishers
Women's 3000 m Final
1. Beatrice Murugi Wainaina (Kenya/Toyokawa H.S.) - 9:11.51
2. Mahiro Wakamatsu (Kojokan H.S.) - 9:11.60
3. Mary Wydira (Kenya/Sendai Ikuei H.S.) - 9:12.33
4. Yuriko Kosaki (Narita H.S.) - 9:16.75
5. Miyuki Oka (Kojokan H.S.) - 9:18.23
6. Katsuki Suga (Kojokan H.S.) - 9:20.79
7. Minori Suzuki (Toyokawa H.S.) - 9:20.81
8. Haruka Kyuma (Ayabe H.S.) - 9:20.87
9. Mutsumi Ikeda (Suma Gakuen H.S.) - 9:21.38
10. Moe Kyuma (Ayabe H.S.) - 9:26.32

(c) 2010 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

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