Special feature: 100th Hakone Ekiden
Misa Fujii
2023/12/17
(Last update: 2023/12/18)
Keita Sato won the All-Japan University Ekiden in November by running a new section record (photo by Misa Fujii)
Ahead of the Hakone Ekiden, a joint press conference of Komazawa University was held online on December 15th, where the participating players, manager Atsushi Fujita, and general manager Hiroaki Oyagi expressed their enthusiasm.
[Special Feature]100th Hakone Ekiden
Director Atsushi Fujita: “I want the fourth-year students to graduate with good feelings”
Last year, the team achieved the triple crown for the first time in university history, and this year the team started with the goal of winning the triple crown for the second year in a row. He showed a close-knit battle in the Izumo Ekiden in October and the All-Japan University Ekiden in November, winning both titles with overwhelming strength and speed.
Director Fujita first said, “As we approach the 100th tournament, we achieved the Triple Crown last year, and we have made various preparations so far in order to achieve the Triple Crown for the second consecutive year this year. We were able to win in a very good way.For this 100th Hakone Ekiden, I still want to do my best to win Hakone one more time, just like Izumo/All Japan. I would like to win somehow and achieve the Triple Crown for the second consecutive year,” he said with great enthusiasm. Before the All-Japan University Ekiden, he had emphasized that “we will win one race at a time, not the triple crown,” and his words made us feel that sense once again.
Led by captain Mebuki Suzuki, the fourth-year students led the team with a sense of self-awareness. (All photos below courtesy of Komazawa University ©︎Shunsuke Mizukami)
Last year, just before the Hakone Ekiden race, several people became unwell, and there are regrets over the fact that those who should have been running were not able to get to the starting line. We have been paying even more attention than last year to managing the physical condition of our players and preventing injuries. He has made it this far by carefully observing the players’ facial expressions, body language, and daily life, and being careful not to overlook even the slightest changes.
“I want the fourth-year students to graduate with a really good feeling at the end, so I will continue to do my best to do what I can,” said Fujita, a coach who communicates with his players in a detailed manner. There was also.
Keita Sato, running for the first time in Hakone, “I want to run in Ward 1”
Of the 16 entries this time, six of whom ran in Hakone last time, the ones that are attracting particular attention are captains Mebuki Suzuki (4th year, Chosei Saku) and Kotaro Shinohara (3rd year, Tomisato). ), Keita Sato (2nd year, Rakunan) are the three aces. The three, along with General Manager Daiyagi and alumnus Ren Tazawa (currently at Toyota Motor Corporation), are part of the “S Team” and are engaged in high-level training with the aim of competing internationally.
Captain Suzuki has been working hard on various aspects to bring the team together over the past year.
Suzuki ran the 4th ward last time and placed 3rd in the section. Shinohara finished 2nd in the 3rd ward section, contributing to the victory in both races. Suzuki said, “I want to run in the 2nd or 4th ward,” and Shinohara said, “I don’t have a specific preference, so I want to fulfill my assigned role and do my best to get closer to winning the Triple Crown for the second year in a row.”
On the other hand, Sato missed the last tournament due to illness shortly before. This will be his long-awaited first appearance in the Hakone Ekiden. This year, just before the relay race season, he competed in the 5000m Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on October 4th and finished in 6th place. From there, on the 9th, the 4th day of middle school, he ran the 2nd section of the Izumo Ekiden and won the section award. He also ran the second section of the All-Japan University Ekiden, setting a new section record and winning the section award, playing the role of a game changer that set him apart from other universities.
Furthermore, at the Hachioji Long Distance on November 25th, which was his first 10,000m, he broke the previous U20 Japanese record by nearly 30 seconds, marking a time of 27 minutes 28.50 seconds. He set an extremely good record, ranking fifth in Japan’s history (at the time). At that time, when asked which section of Hakone he wanted to run, he answered, “Nothing in particular,” but this time he clearly said, “I want to run in the 1st ward.”
Sato says that although he is not at all worried about long distances, he has gained confidence.
Sato’s goal is to break the section record of 1 hour 0 minutes 40 seconds set by Chuo University’s Yamato Yoshii (4th year, Sendai Ikuei) at the 98th race. “I want to go at a pace of 14 minutes 00 seconds for 5km, so I want to get as close to (the section record) as possible,” he says, apparently already having a race plan in mind.
Although he felt a little tired after the Hachioji Long Distance, his time gave him confidence and he was motivated to practice. Regarding the long distance of 20km, he says, “I’m not saying I don’t have any concerns, but I feel more confident than last year.” His confidence comes from the fact that he was able to comfortably finish the distance run at the selection training camp in early December, and that he feels that his stamina is steadily increasing.
We have become a bright and cohesive team.
When asked about Sato, general manager Daiyagi said, “As he said, I think he wants to aim for a new section record.” It may be difficult to cover 5km in exactly 14 minutes, but it should be possible to complete the distance in about 14 minutes and 10 seconds.
This year, general manager Ohyagi took Sato to a training camp in St. Moritz, Switzerland, where he got a first-hand experience of the practice of overseas club teams aiming to compete on the world stage. “Through such opportunities, he has become more conscious and has a desire to improve.He is becoming an extremely powerful player.” At Izumo and All Japan, Sato broke away and ran alone, and after that, no other team could catch up with Komazawa. If Sato shows a great performance in the 1st ward this time and widens the gap between him and the others behind him, he may be able to continue leading the race and win outright…Komazawa University has the strength right now that makes me think.
General Manager Daiyagi (right) says that he can watch Director Fujita with confidence and that he will be a good coach.
“We had a strong team last year, but I think this year we have become a cheerful team that is determined to surpass last year.Everyone is working with a sense of self-awareness, and the atmosphere seems relaxed. “We’re turning into a team with a lot of talent,” says General Manager Oyagi.
The worrying factor is that they are not watching the backs of Izumo, All Japan, and other schools. “I’m worried about my mental health if I’m on the back foot, but I believe in our strong players,” said Coach Fujita. Will there be a team that threatens the seemingly rock-solid Komazawa, or will they continue to become the first team in the history of the University Ekiden to win the Triple Crown for two years in a row? The time for the decisive battle is rapidly approaching.
2023-12-18 04:21:50
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