http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/hokkaido/sports/news/20130110-OHT1T00068.htm
translated by Brett Larner
After a 7th-place finish at the Jan. 2-3 Hakone Ekiden, Masato Kikuchi, captain of one of the pre-race favorites Meiji University, announced that following his graduation this spring he will join the top corporate team, 2013 New Year Ekiden national champion Konica Minolta, in pursuit of a place on the Japanese national team for the 2016 Rio Olympics. We talked to him about his burning ambition for the future.
At this year's Hakone Ekiden Meiji University finished 7th. As captain, what were your impressions of the team's performance?
Last year we were 3rd, so having been looking to improve on that and go for the overall win it was really disappointing. But given the problems on the Ninth Stage [where Tomoya Matsui experienced serious dehydration issues] the fact that we didn't drop out and were able to carry the tasuki the whole way and still make the seeded bracket was good…
translated by Brett Larner
After a 7th-place finish at the Jan. 2-3 Hakone Ekiden, Masato Kikuchi, captain of one of the pre-race favorites Meiji University, announced that following his graduation this spring he will join the top corporate team, 2013 New Year Ekiden national champion Konica Minolta, in pursuit of a place on the Japanese national team for the 2016 Rio Olympics. We talked to him about his burning ambition for the future.
At this year's Hakone Ekiden Meiji University finished 7th. As captain, what were your impressions of the team's performance?
Last year we were 3rd, so having been looking to improve on that and go for the overall win it was really disappointing. But given the problems on the Ninth Stage [where Tomoya Matsui experienced serious dehydration issues] the fact that we didn't drop out and were able to carry the tasuki the whole way and still make the seeded bracket was good…