CHIBA, Japan - (November 23, 2000) - At the Hanji Aoki Cup Int'l Chiba Ekiden, the host country Japan swept both marathon road relays in convincing fashion. For the Japanese men's team, Koichiro Nagata took the lead around 3K and ran the 10K stage (downhill) in 27:40, faster than his track 10,000m PR (28:03.84), and Japan never trailed in their 90 second plus victory over South Africa, 1:59:47 to 2:01:28. The Japanese men won for the third year in a row. Not at full strength as Dave Cullum was felled by a virus, the U.S. men ran 2:05:39 to finish 11th out of 19 teams. Strong legs were run by Abdi Abdirahman (7th fastest leg), Dan Browne (3rd fastest leg) and Tim Broe (4th fastest leg).

For the women, Ikumi Nagayama of Japan took the lead after the first stage and the Japanese women who were never challenged finished two minutes ahead of Ethiopia (2:15:30 to 2:17:30) as they won Chiba for the ninth consecutive year. Like the men, the U.S. women were hurt by illness as Kim Pawelek pulled out right before the trip and they too finished 11th overall (2:23:01) out of 16 teams. First 10K leg Milena Glusac ran 32:32 (8th fastest leg), over a minute PR.

Hanji Aoki Cup Int'l Chiba Ekiden Road Relay (42.195K)
Chiba, Japan, November 23, 2000

MEN
1) JPN 1:59:47; 2) RSA 2:01:28; 3) AUS 2:03:07; 4) KEN 2:03:48; 5) GBR
2:03:49; 6) RUS 2:04:19; 7) DEN 2:04:22; 8) CAN 2:04:32; 9) Chiba 2:04:52;
10) POL 2:05:26; 11) USA 2:05:39; 12) ROM 2:05:44; 13) GER 2:06:36; 14)
BRA 2:07:17; 15) CHN 2:07:30; 16) ESP 2:08:24; 17) CZE 2:08:29; 18) HUN
2:09:12; 19) AUT 2:14:41

Best stages:
1) 10K (27:40), Koichiro Nagata (JPN)
2) 5K (13:33), Michael Power (AUS)
3) 10K (28:41), Whaddon Niewoudt (RSA)
4) 5K (14:04), Craig Mottram (AUS)
5) 12.195K (35:13), Ken-ichi Takahashi (JPN)

Team USA Men (2:05:39)
Leg, time, leg place, team, name
10K (28:26, 7th), Abdi Abdirahman, 21, Tucson, AZ
5K (13:59, 3rd, 5th), Dan Browne, 25, Lafayette, CO
10K (30:57, 14th, 9th), Teddy Mitchell, 28, Longwood, FL
5K (14:14, 4th, 9th), Tim Broe, 23, Birmingham, AL
12.195K (38:03, 12th, 11th), Josh Cox, 25, El Cajon, CA

WOMEN
1) JPN 2:15:30; 2) ETH 2:17:30; 3) KEN 2:18:18; 4) ROM 2:19:26; 5) AUS
2:20:12; 6) CHN 2:20:23; 7) Chiba 2:20:27; 8) POL 2:21:21; 9) RUS 2:21:32;
10) UKR 2:21:35; 11) USA 2:23:01; 12) GBR 2:23:47; 13) MEX 2:24:45; 14)
CAN 2:26:29; 15) FRA 2:27:06; 16) YUG 2:31:49

Best stages:
1) 10K (31:51), Ikumi Nagayama (JPN)
2) 5K (15:26), Mari Ozaki (JPN)
3) 10K (32:37), Haruko Okamoto (JPN) & Elfnesh Alemu (ETH)
4) 5K (15:55), Tatyana Tomoshova (RUS)
5) 4.767K (15:39), Kayoko Fukushi (JPN) & Benita Willis (AUS)
6) 7.428K (23:47) Megumi Tanaka (JPN)

Team USA Women (2:23:01)
Leg, time, leg place, team, name
10K (32:32, 8th), Milena Glusac, 25, Fallbrook, CA
5K (16:47, 12th, 9th), Molly Watcke, 29, West Newbury, MA
10K (34:08, 11th, 10th), Jenny Crain, 32, River Hills, WI
5K (17:04, 11th, 10th), Carmen Troncoso, 41, Austin, TX
4.767K (16:44, 9th, 11th), Soja Friend-Uhl, 29, Weston, FL
7.428K (25:46, 12th, 11th), Rosa Gutierrez, 37, Glendale, OR

Chiba Ekiden: USA Team Summary (1990-2000)

Year    Men         Women
1990    2:03:36 (12th)  2:20:41 (5th)
1991    2:01:40 (7th)   2:23:05 (9th)
1992    2:06:07 (13th)  2:24:40 (11th)
1993    2:04:21 (6th)   2:23:40 (4th)
1994    2:06:07 (16th)  2:20:43 (7th)
1995    2:06:34 (17th)  2:23:19 (8th)
1996    2:03:45 (9th)   2:23:28 (10th)
1997    2:06:44 (15th)  2:23:05 (9th)
1998    2:02:21 (5th)   2:20:55 (5th)
1999    2:01:57 (4th)   2:19:43 (6th)
2000    2:05:39 (11th)  2:23:01 (11th)

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Special thanks to 
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Coordinator for providing us this press release.
USATF Road Running Information Center
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