Soka University runner achieves best ever record in second section of Hakone Ekiden by a Japanese runner

 

The 101st Hakone Ekiden took place on January 2nd and 3rd, 2025. Soka University entered the Tsurumi relay station in 17th place in the first section, and passed the sash to Yoshida Hibiki for the second section. In this section, also known as the "flower section 2" because it features the top athletes from each university, Yoshida Hibiki overtook 13 runners. With a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes, and 43 seconds, he set the best record ever for a Japanese runner in the second section, and temporarily pushed Soka University up to fourth place. Yoshida Hibiki spoke about his thoughts on the ekiden and his future plans.

 

Please look back on how you felt when you joined the Soka University Ekiden Club.

I transferred to Soka University in my third year and was very anxious about stepping into a new environment. I was very nervous about whether I would really be accepted. I thought it would be rude if I didn't match the names and faces of the ekiden club members, so I watched videos in advance, but I couldn't remember them, and I didn't know who was a senior and who was a junior, so I spoke to everyone in honorific language. However, the atmosphere in the club was surprisingly good, and everyone was kind and warm to me, so I was pleasantly surprised (laughs). I was really bad at communicating, and that had always been a complex for me, but I was blessed with the members of the ekiden club, who had a positive influence on me, and I think I was able to grow little by little as an athlete and as a person. And by overcoming the hard training of the summer training camp together, I was able to become friends with everyone.

Please tell us why you aimed to become the "Mountain God" in the 5th section of the Hakone Ekiden. Why do you want to run the tough uphill section?

When I was a second-year high school student, I participated in a city relay race held in Shizuoka Prefecture, and the commentator, Kane Tetsuhiko, told me that I was a type of runner suited to mountain climbing, which was what inspired me to aim for mountain climbing. After that, many people continued to tell me that I was suited to mountain running, and I was impressed by the running of athletes such as Daichi Kanno of Aoyama Gakuin University and Ryuji Kashiwabara of Toyo University, who were once called "mountain gods," and I began to admire them. In a relay race, it is quite difficult to catch up with a team that is one minute behind on flat ground, but in the mountains, even a two or three minute difference can turn the tables. Running in the mountains is tough, but it's really cool to see a runner pass the one in front of you. So I started aiming to become a mountain god.

Were you fast from a young age and good at long distances?

Actually, when I was five years old, I developed Perthes' disease, which causes bone necrosis in the hip joints of my legs, and for about a year I was unable to walk without wearing an assistive device. Because I was still growing, my bones had repaired and I was able to walk by the time I started elementary school, but I wasn't particularly good at sports, and I was never fast. However, I liked running, and in junior high school I wanted to run long distances, so I joined the track and field club. So even now, I don't think I'm very good at sports other than running.

People around you were expecting you to become the "Mountain God," so how did you feel when you were tasked with running the second section of your final Hakone Ekiden?

Around the summer training camp in my fourth year, my coach told me, "Hibiki, maybe you can run Section 2 better?", but at the time I thought, "I'll still run Section 5." Becoming a mountain god was my dream, and those around me had also entrusted me with their wishes and cheered me on, so I wanted to achieve my dream, but at the same time I didn't want to disappoint those around me.

However, after I finished running the second section of the All Japan University Ekiden, while practicing running up the mountains in preparation for Hakone, I began to feel that I had been able to climb better as a freshman. Since entering Soka University, my running ability has really improved, my running style has become much more beautiful, and I think I have become a stronger athlete. On the other hand, however, my level of climbing up the mountains has not improved, and to be honest, I felt that "it's tough to become a mountain god." Thinking objectively, it would be better for the team to get on track if I ran the second section, and since our goal was to win the overall championship, my desire to "win with this team" won out, so I volunteered to the coach again, "Please let me run the second section."

You set the fastest time ever for a Japanese runner in the second section. I imagine you had some tough times, but what was your mentality that helped you overcome them?

I hate to lose, and I was confident that I had done what I needed to do in practice. In addition, I had once decided to quit athletics before entering Soka University, so I realized that being able to do athletics is not something to be taken for granted. That was also a big factor. Even for regular practice, the coach creates the training menu, and the managers prepare and measure the athletes, so they can only improve. The dormitory that supported our lives also boasts excellent facilities that would put a company team to shame, and this is also thanks to the alumni, those who support the university, and those who support the Ekiden Club. I realized that I was able to do athletics because of all of you, and when I realized that even the toughness of running was a happy thing, it turned into strength.

Why did you turn down offers from corporate teams and choose to continue running as a professional runner? Also, please tell us about your goals as a professional.

The reason I decided to become a professional was because I realized that I really love interacting with people through the tool of athletics. After the Hakone Ekiden was over, I returned to my hometown and attended athletics events and competitions, and I really enjoyed running with local junior high school students and adults. I realized that meeting lots of people through athletics is what I enjoy and what makes me happy. Unlike joining a corporate team, professional runners have no guarantee of a living, so few people choose to become a professional runner, but I think that in return, you get to meet a lot of people.

My first goal as a professional is to win a medal in the marathon at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Currently, African runners are strong in the marathon, but in Japan, too, training methods and shoes have evolved year by year thanks to advances in sports science, and the number of strong runners is increasing. I believe, although I have some wishful thinking, that if I do what I need to do well, I have a chance to win and can reach for a medal.

Another reason I wanted to become a professional was because I wanted to be active in trail running. Trail running is a type of running that involves running on various roads, such as forest roads and mountain trails. Rui Ueda is already active on the world stage in trail running, but I also want to challenge myself in the Trail Running World Championships and create a new type of runner.

Please give a message to your juniors who are aiming to enter Soka University.

Soka University is not just a place to study hard, but a wonderful university that values the importance of meeting people and making connections, and honing one's humanity. There are many strong-willed people here, and the school has a culture that values the growth of each individual. It was because of this environment that I was able to achieve the best record ever recorded by a Japanese student. I hope that you will come to Soka University and discover your potential and encounters that will last a lifetime.