Track and Field/Ekiden – Hakone Ekiden Preview The team’s management skills will be tested as they prepare for the All Japan Championships in two weeks |

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Special feature: 101 Hakone Ekiden

Last year was the 100th edition of the Hakone Ekiden Pre-Texts, which was open to participation from all over the country (Photo by Koichiro Yoshida)

The qualifying round for the 101st Hakone Ekiden, scheduled for January 2 and 3, 2025, will be held on the 19th in Tachikawa City, Tokyo. This half marathon starts from the Japan Self-Defense Force Tachikawa Station, runs through the city, and ends at Showa Kinen Park. 43 teams participated this time, including talented schools such as Chuo University and Tokai University. There will be an eye on the team that qualifies for the main competition.

Chuo University has 9 athletes running 10,000mi 28 minutes.

Of the 43 teams, two schools received seeding rights in last November’s All Japan Ekiden University: Chuo University (4th place) and Tokyo International University (8th place). Chuo University placed 13th overall due to a series of people feeling sick right before the Hakone Ekiden at the beginning of the year. This is the first time in three years that I will be attending the qualifying round.

However, among the participating teams, Chuo University stands out in terms of ability based on their time. Of the 14 athletes entered, nine have qualified records of 28 minutes or less for the 10,000m. While key players such as Shunyasu Yoshii (3rd year, Sendai Ikuei), Ichita Tameike (3rd year, Rakunan), and Daichi Shibata (2nd year, Rakunan) did not enter, runner-up Tokai University, considering that there are 6 players, it is expected that they will succeed in the qualifying round in the highest ranks. Yohiro Shirakawa (3rd year, Otsuka), who placed 4th in the March student half marathon held on almost the same course, Haruki Abe (4th year, Saikyo), who has extensive relay race experience, and captain Takumi Sano (4th year). The main players will be players who have been practicing with their sights set on the qualified tournament, for example 2019 Rakunan).

Track and Field/Ekiden – Hakone Ekiden Preview The team’s management skills will be tested as they prepare for the All Japan Championships in two weeks |

Chuo University’s Yohiro Shirakawa (No. 26, photo by Misa Fujii) placed 4th in the Student Half Marathon in March this year.

Last year, Tokyo International University placed 14th in the qualifying round where up to 13th place was eligible. I cried because the difference was only 3 seconds. The students who have to earn time are international students from Kenya. Among them, Richard Ettiri (2nd year, Sill), who holds the Japanese student records in the 5,000m (13:00.17), 10,000m (27:06.88), and half marathon (59:32), fell during the round last qualifier. year. I’m sure he’s burning with shame because he’s done it. Kaito Kimura (4th year, Sayama Keizai) and Haruki Sato (4th year, Yokkaichi Kogyo) have times in the low 28 minute range for 10,000m, and they are very strong.

Will Juntendo University be able to show a stronger side?

Tokai University, which took 11th place in the 100th Hakone Ekiden at the beginning of the year, was joined by Toshiya Hanaoka (3rd year, Ueda Nishi) and Takanobu Igarashi (4th year, Mito Kogyo), captain Yuto Kajitani (4th year, Shiga Gakuen). ) and others into. Last year’s qualifying round, without ace Shotaro Ishihara (currently SG Holdings), emphasized a clear strategy to prevent over-pacing. This time, speed runner Judah Hyodo (3rd year, Tokai Shohiro Shizuoka University) is not in, so it will be interesting to see what kind of strategy Director Ryosaku will draw up.

Tokai University ace Toshiya Hanaoka (photo by Misa Fujii)

In addition to these three schools, Rikkyo University, Nippon University of Sports Science, and Kanagawa University will compete in the All Japan Ekiden University about two weeks after the Hakone qualifying round. How to pass the introduction without taking any damage in preparation for Iseji. Team management skills will also be tested.

Note the performance of the legendary Juntendo University, which finished 17th in the Kanto region selection round of the All Japan Ekiden University, and Hakone has only a chance in this season’s three major relay races. In addition to central player Daisho Yoshioka (2nd year, Saku Chosei), captain Soma Hattori (4th year, Rakunan), who did not appear in the All-Japan selection, and ace Hiroki Asai (4th year, Toyokawa), a notable rookie went Soma Nagahara (1st year, Chosei Saku) and others entered. I want to show that Jundai has come back stronger.

Chuo Gakuin University’s Reishi Yoshida (4th year, Taku Koryo University) is at the center of the battle for the top Japanese job. Kazuma Maeda from Tokyo Agricultural University, who was the best Japanese in the qualifying round last year and ran a good time of 27 minutes 21.52 seconds in the 10,000m at the Japanese Championships in May this year, was not entered this year. and was the only Japanese with 27. Yoshida is the platform runner. This time too, we can expect to see some aggressive running, boldly following the international student runners.

Reishi Yoshida, the only Japanese runner in the 27 minute 10,000m distance (photo by Koichiro Yoshida)

Many runners have achieved great results in the track season.

In addition to the universities mentioned above, Yutaro Kaneko (4th year, Yokohama Suiran) from the University of Tsukuba, who broke university records in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and Yudai Katagawa (4th year, Yokohama Suiran) from the University of Asia, who he had a good time of 28 minutes 11.20 seconds in the 10,000m , Hotoku Gakuen ), Keio University’s Kotaro Tajima (4th year, Kyushu Gakuin), who finished 8th in the Kanto Intercollegiate Men’s Half Marathon in May, and Shonan. , who placed 3rd in the Intercollegiate Men’s 10,000m in September, a runner such as Tomoki Matsuda (4th year, Hakuoh Ashikaga University), who has made a mark in the track season, will also be on hand.

Up to 12 people from each team will run, and 10 schools will advance to Hakonemoto based on the overall time of the top 10 students from each school. There will also be a qualifying round where the Kanto Student Union team will be assembled. The heat race will start at 9:35am.

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