<38th Izumo Ekiden> Soka University Ekiden Team Finishes 9th! ~Records University Record Time~
On October 12th (Monday, a national holiday), the 38th Izumo All-Japan University Ekiden Race (Shimane Prefecture, Izumo Taisha Shrine to Izumo Dome, 6 sections, 45.1 km) was held. Soka University's Ekiden team, participating for the sixth consecutive year, recorded a university record time of 2 hours, 8 minutes, and 31 seconds, finishing in 9th place. The Izumo Ekiden, which marks the start of the ekiden season, is considered one of the three major university ekiden races, along with the All-Japan University Ekiden and the Hakone Ekiden. A total of 22 university teams participated in this year's competition.
In his debut in the three major collegiate ekiden races, first-year student Genta Sugano ran the first leg, staying with the leading group from the start. Towards the end of the race, he showed an aggressive running style, briefly taking the lead, and handed the sash to fourth-year student Takumi Orihashi in eighth place, 16 seconds behind the leader. Orihashi ran the shortest leg (5.8 km) with great momentum, achieving the second-fastest time in his section and moving the team up three places to fifth, just three seconds behind the leader, before handing the sash to fourth-year student Steven Mucini in the third leg.
Muchini ran a tenacious leg where the ace runners from each school competed, finishing 6th in his section and maintaining the team's 5th place ranking before handing the sash to Junsei Murakami (1st year). In his first appearance in the three major collegiate ekiden races, Murakami ran with all his might to improve the team's ranking, and his strong performance of 6th in his section kept the team in 5th place before handing the sash to Shoki Yamaguchi (3rd year) in the 5th section. Yamaguchi ran a steady and composed race, calmly navigating the course with its small ups and downs, and finished 6th in his section. The team remained in 6th place when the sash was handed to anchor runner Riki Koike (4th year). Koike showed a powerful run from the moment he received the sash until the very end, and his strong performance of 10th in his section brought the team to a 9th place finish as they crossed the finish line at Izumo Dome.
Coach Kazuki Enoki stated, "Although we fielded our best team ever for this competition, we were unable to take the lead throughout and were unable to create the race we had hoped for. We accept the reality that the running ability of other universities was superior to ours. We will use the lessons learned and the positive experiences of each runner as motivation to re-evaluate the team as a whole. We will rebuild into a strong team so that we can compete for the top spots in the All Japan University Ekiden and the Hakone Ekiden. Thank you for your warm support."
Comments from the players who participated.
○Section 1: Genta Sugano (1st year): My first university ekiden was nerve-wracking amidst the loud cheers, and my anxiety prevented me from running my best, making me acutely aware of my shortcomings. I want to train hard to build up my physique and develop the strength to remain unfazed on any stage. I was greatly inspired by the performance of my teammates in Izumo, so I want to get my revenge at the All Japan University Ekiden.
○Section 2 Takumi Orihashi (4th year): I received the baton in a good position and the race unfolded in a way that made it easy for me to run, but I was unable to pull away in the final sprint, leaving me with a lot of regret. I made my move around 1km from the finish but couldn't pull away, and I keenly feel my own shortcomings. On the other hand, I was able to run close to my target time, which has given me confidence. Towards the All Japan University Ekiden and the Hakone Ekiden, I will use this disappointment as motivation to hone my finishing speed and aim for the team's highest ranking and record ever.
○Section 3: Steven Mucini (4th year): My goal for the Izumo Ekiden was to win the section prize. Although my condition wasn't bad, I struggled with the heat, and my speed was still an area where I need to improve. However, being able to maintain my own pace and persevere until the end is a valuable lesson for the future. At the All Japan University Ekiden, I want to further improve my speed and stamina, win the section prize, and contribute to the team.
○Section 4 Junsei Murakami (1st year): This was my first university ekiden, but I couldn't reach my target time and it was a race where I keenly felt my lack of strength compared to top-level athletes. I was very inspired by the performance of my fellow first-year students and classmates, so I would like to improve my aptitude by increasing the distance of my training and prepare thoroughly for the All Japan University Ekiden and Hakone Ekiden.
○Section 5 Shohei Yamaguchi (3rd year): I was able to maintain a consistent pace from the start of the race and fulfill my minimum role by exceeding my target time, but I keenly felt the difference in explosive power and running ability compared to the top runners from other universities. Personally, I will cherish the feeling that I was able to persevere until the end, and in the All Japan University Ekiden, where the distance will increase from here, I will run in my strong section to directly contribute to a higher ranking and help improve the team's position.
○Section 6: Riki Koike (4th year): I was doing well in the early stages of the race and felt I had a chance to aim for second place, but due to some discomfort in my physical condition just before the race, I was unable to run my best and ended up with a disappointing result that made me painfully aware of my lack of strength. I ran only out of a sense of responsibility that I had to run, and I deeply regret that I was unable to contribute to the team and my teammates with a result. I will properly readjust my mind and body and in the next All Japan University Ekiden, I will run in a way that makes people think "Koike is back" and I will definitely get my revenge.
*All images are ©Getsuriku
