Aoyama Gakuin University retained its Tokyo-Hakone collegiate ekiden road relay title on Friday, breaking its own competition record from last year by 6 seconds to finish the two-day race in 10 hours, 41 minutes, 19 seconds.
Anchor Hikaru Ogawara crosses the finish line as Aoyama Gakuin University wins the Tokyo-Hakone collegiate ekiden road relay in Tokyo’s Otemachi district on Jan. 3, 2025. (Kyodo)
Holding a 1:47 lead after coming first in Thursday’s outward trip, Aoyama Gakuin never relinquished its advantage in the 109.6-kilometer return journey from the mountainous hot spring resort of Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture to Tokyo’s Otemachi business district, sealing its eighth win since its first triumph in 2015.
“I’m grateful to the students that we’ve been able to win the Hakone Ekiden, which has become a national event, for the eighth time in 11 years,” head coach Susumu Hara said.
Komazawa University, the 2023 champion, posted a record time for the return journey but settled for second in 10:44:07.
Kokugakuin University finished third in 10:50:47, failing in its bid to sweep collegiate ekiden’s three major races after winning the Izumo Ekiden in October and the national championship in November.
Akimu Nomura set a leg 6 record time, slashing some 30 seconds in the downhill 20.8-km section, as Aoyama Gakuin began the return leg perfectly in the race split into five legs on each day and competed by 21 teams this year.
“I wanted to get at least one of the two (personal awards), so I’m extremely happy,” Nomura said after being named the inaugural recipient of the race’s MVP award, given to a member of the winning team. He also won the best runner award, which covers all participants.
The race was blessed with good weather over the two days, and the organizers said a total of around 1.02 million cheered on the runners from the roadside, an increase of 40,000 from last year.
Aoyama Gakuin University head coach Susumu Hara (C) gets tossed in the air by his team members as they celebrate after winning the Tokyo-Hakone collegiate ekiden road relay in Tokyo’s Otemachi district on Jan. 3, 2025. (Pool photo)(Kyodo)
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