Special feature: 100th Hakone Ekiden
Misa Fujii
2023/10/15
(Last update: 2023/10/16)
The players are happy to have decided to participate. After this, I will compete in two relay races, All Japan and Hakone (all photos taken by Misa Fujii)
100th Tokyo-Hakone Round-trip University Ekiden Qualifying Tournament
October 14 @ Ground Self-Defense Force Tachikawa Garrison – Tachikawa City Area – Showa Kinen Park (21.0975km)
1st place Daito Bunka University 10 time 33 minutes 39 seconds
2nd place Meiji University 10 hours 34 minutes 38 seconds
3rd place Teikyo University 10 hours 35 minutes 08 seconds
4th place Nippon Sport Science University 10 hours 36 minutes 42 seconds
5th place Nihon University 10 hours 36 minutes 54 seconds
6th place Rikkyo University 10 hours 37 minutes 06 seconds
7th place Kanagawa University 10 hours 37 minutes 20 seconds
8th place Kokushikan University 10 hours 37 minutes 21 seconds
9th place Chuo Gakuin University 10 hours 37 minutes 27 seconds
10th place Tokai University 10 hours 37 minutes 58 seconds
11th Tokyo University of Agriculture 10 hours 39 minutes 05 seconds
12th place Surugadai University 10 hours 39 minutes 40 seconds
13th place Yamanashi Gakuin University 10 hours 39 minutes 47 seconds
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14th place Tokyo International University 10 hours 39 minutes 50 seconds
15th place Reitaku University 10 hours 43 minutes 15 seconds
16th place Takushoku University 10 hours 43 minutes 16 seconds
17th place Jobu University 10 hours 44 minutes 41 seconds
18th place Senshu University 10 hours 44 minutes 51 seconds
19th place Nippon Pharmaceutical University 10 hours 48 minutes 34 seconds
20th place University of Tsukuba 10 hours 49 minutes 07 seconds
At the Hakone Ekiden preliminaries held on October 14th, Tokyo University of Agriculture rookie Kazuma Maeda (1st year, Hotoku Gakuen) finished as the top Japanese athlete. Although it was his first half marathon, he recorded a time of 1 hour 1 minute 42 seconds, contributing to his team’s participation in the main race.
After 15km, I decided to move forward.
When Maeda competed in the Kanto Intercollegiate 5,000m in May, he said, “I’d like to get first place among Japanese athletes at the Hakone Ekiden qualifying round, so I’m going to practice to get there.” This is my first half marathon race. At the start, Reishi Yoshida (3rd year, Taku University Koryo) of Chuo Gakuin University joined the group of international students, and behind him the top Japanese group was formed.
Maeda and Neon Namiki (4th year, Tokyo Jitsugyo) followed the group and set the pace. Within the team, Maeda, Namiki, Yoshiteru Takatsuki (4th year, Gakuho Ishikawa), and Yosuke Harada (2nd year, Kamakura Gakuen) are free. The other eight runners were pace runners, planning to finish in around 64 minutes and 30 seconds.
In the early stages, I kept to the set time as instructed and ran within the group.The photo is just before the 9km point
The set time given by coach Toru Kosashi was 15km 44 minutes 15 seconds. From there, I was instructed to take the plunge if I had the energy to do so. As expected, after 15km, Maeda suddenly increased his pace and jumped out from the group. He passed the runners in front of him one by one, passing Yoshida just before 20km to become the top Japanese rider. Without slowing down, he finished in 9th place overall. Coach Pinky’s expected time was 62 minutes and 15 seconds, but as he said, “I had the ability to beat the 1 minute mark, so I thought I could get a little more,” and the time was a good 30 seconds longer than expected.
Looking back on the race, Maeda said, “I was behind (other runners) the whole time and didn’t pull back even once, so I still had a lot of leeway physically.I think the group running was going well. “But I wanted to earn some time if I could. I took the plunge and thought I might last the last 5km, so I took the plunge and moved forward.” It was my first half, and although I started from 15km, I had thoughts like “It’s still long” and “I don’t think I’ll last long,” but I pushed through with my heart.
“I want to help” instead of “I have to do it.”
I was conscious of Yoshida, who is the top Japanese racer. The leading group had been charging in quickly from the beginning, so it might be possible for them to be pushed through. But when I saw his back, I was confident that he could win. “When I saw my back on the long straight, I ran with the mindset that I was going to make it to the end.” When asked if his expression didn’t change and he seemed relaxed, he answered, “Even when I’m having a tough time, I don’t really show it on my face. I’m glad I was able to score.”
Maeda truly delivered on his words. By practicing every day with top-level student athletes such as Takatsuki and Namiki, his lifelong belief that “becoming the top Japanese player is not an impossible goal” came to fruition.
Although he was a rookie, he ran confidently and became the top Japanese rider.I can’t wait for my relay race debut
Do you have a sense that you will lead Tokyo University of Agriculture? When I asked him about it, he answered, “When I was in high school, I thought, “I have to do it,” and I failed at the prefectural relay race in my third year, so I didn’t think “I have to do it,” but rather, “I had to do it.” I want to be like that.”
This will be his first participation in the Hakone Ekiden in 10 years. Maeda’s hope is to be in the 2nd ward of the ace section. He says he hopes to be able to compete against strong players from each university. In three weeks, Maeda’s debut at the University Ekiden will be the All-Japan University Ekiden. “Since it’s my first half, I think the damage to my body will come later, so I’m going to get some rest and then prepare and make adjustments one day at a time.”
Maeda originally played soccer, but joined the track and field club because he liked relay races. He says he is really looking forward to running the relay race. When I asked him which section of the nationals he wanted, he said, “I want to compete against strong university athletes, so I’m interested in the first half or the 7th section, which is said to be the ace section.” He answered in a firm tone that it was his duty to do his best no matter what.
Director Toru Kosashi: “I’m glad we were able to get a result.”
The overall time set by Director Pinky was 10 hours, 38 minutes, and 39 seconds, and the actual time was 10 hours, 39 minutes, and 05 seconds, an error of just under 30 seconds. “If we calculate the time that we were aiming for, it means that other universities were stronger.”
Takatsuki had an injury during the summer, but was able to fit in for this preliminary round.
When asked why he still passed, he said, “I’ve seen many students cry here over the years, so I’m glad that today ended like this and I was able to get a result. I wanted to finish in the single digits, but my worst goal was to finish 13th, so I’m glad I was able to participate,” he said with a relieved expression. When Takatsuki and Namiki became fourth-year students, they came to try to pass the preliminary round. I was able to make it a reality.
Tokyo University of Agriculture will be participating in the All-Japan University Ekiden for the first time in 14 years, and the Hakone Ekiden for the first time in 10 years. I’m looking forward to seeing the 4th graders who have been building their strength and the strong rookies lift the team and once again perform dynamically in the Ekiden.
2023-10-16 04:26:20
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