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Prefontaine Classic 10000 m - Japanese Results

by Brett Larner

Saitama-based William Malel (Team Honda) gave defending Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah (Great Britain) a run for it in Saturday's Prefontaine Classic men's 10000 m, kicking over the last 250 or so meters before Farah caught him in the final 50 m.  Malel finished less than a second behind Farah in 26:54.66, a new PB that, given the injured status of Bedan Karoki (Team DeNA), surely puts Malel into consideration for the Rio team.  Interestingly enough, Ibrahim Jeilan (Ethiopia), who won the 2011 Daegu World Championships 10000 m over Farah with a mighty kick while running for the Honda team, was close behind in a new PB of 26:58.75 for 5th.

Japan-based Kenyans Leonard Barsoton (Team Nissin Shokuhin) and James Mwangi (Team NTN) took 12th and 13th, both in the 27:30 range.  Japan's Suguru Osako (Nike Oregon Project) wasn't up to the night's task, losing touch with the leaders after the first 1000 m and dropping out early in the second half.  One of 11 Japanese men to hold the Rio qualifying standard in the 10000 m, Osako will need to turn it around in time for next month's National Championships in order to make the Rio team.

Prefontaine Classic Men's 10000 m
Eugene, Oregon, 5/27/16
click here for complete results

1. Mo Farah (Great Britain) - 26:53.71
2. William Malel (Kenya/Honda) - 26:54.66
3. Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia) - 26:57.33
4. Stephen Sambu (Kenya) - 26:58.25
5. Ibrahim Jeilan (Ethiopia) - 26:58.75
6. Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea) - 27:00.66
7. Nicholas Kosimbei (Kenya) - 27:02.59
8. Idema Guye (Ethiopia) - 27:09.78
9. Vincent Yator (Kenya) - 27:25.94
10. Birhan Nebebew (Ethiopia) - 27:27.30
-----
12. Leonard Barsoton (Kenya/Nissin Shokuhin) - 27:31.86
13. James Mwangi (Kenya/NTN) - 27:38.97
DNF - Suguru Osako (Japan/Nike Oregon Project)

© 2016 Brett Larner
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