I started track and field in fifth grade. It all started when I was invited to join a local running club. This club has produced many runners who have participated in the Hakone Ekiden, so naturally, I wanted to run in the Hakone Ekiden myself. After that, while continuing to compete in junior high and high school, I was scouted by J. F. Oberlin University coach Mayaka, coach Fukunaga, and manager Takeda. Among university ekiden teams nationwide, only J. F. Oberlin University have Kenyan coaches, a powerhouse in long-distance running. I thought I could learn the secret to Kenyan speed, so I decided to go to J. F. Oberlin University.
A characteristic of J. F. Oberlin University 's ekiden team is that while running happily, they practice seriously as one team in a bright atmosphere. Club members communicate with each other regardless of grade level, and maintain close communication with the coach and coach. While consulting with the coach and team members, they also tackle new things, and recently, they have been doing image training by meditating to imagine themselves feeling well, and sometimes imagining themselves eating delicious food. Surprisingly, the results have been effective, and everyone on the team feels a mental improvement.

In high school, I thought, "If I join the university ekiden club, I'll probably do special training," but in reality, it's much more steady and gritty practice than in high school. I compete in speed with Kayoki, who is also a talented athlete in my grade, and I handle a lot of daily practice. Thanks to these efforts, in my second year of university, I was able to break my personal record in the 10,000m dash by more than a minute at the "Hokuren Distance Challenge Abashiri Tournament." Furthermore, at the 294th Nippon Sport Science University Competition in April 2022, even while leading, I was able to run at a steady pace without worrying about others' gazes, and I feel growth both physically and mentally.
Currently, as vice-captain, I am also dedicated to nurturing the next generation. Together with the captain, I am working on various things to improve the team. Of course, I speak with my abilities, but I also encourage younger players to focus and work hard. I want the juniors who will carry the future of J. F. Oberlin University to have a strong desire for improvement, gain plenty of experience without injury, and do not get injured.

Unfortunately, in the "Hakone Ekiden Qualifying Round 2021" held last year, we finished 29th out of 39 universities and were unable to secure a ticket to the Hakone Ekiden. Other universities are getting stronger every year, making the situation tough, but every team has its weaknesses. We believe it is necessary to keep working hard to exploit those weaknesses and raise the overall strength of the team.
Personally, this is a crucial year for me. Coach Shinya and Coach Fukunaga have high expectations of me. I'm very happy to be seen as the ace, and I've been able to grow this much thanks to the coaches. With the desire to repay their kindness on the big stage of Hakone in mind, I want to show a performance that lives up to expectations. The slogan for 2022 is "EVOLUTION that changes history <Evolution, Passion, True Value, Trustworthiness, New Splendor>". As these words suggest, my goal is to change the team's history by participating in the Hakone Ekiden. With pride as the ace, I will lead the team with my running so that I can graduate leaving a lasting legacy for the new generation.