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Hakone Ekiden 2nd Stage Winner Ren Tazawa Honored at Hometown City Hall


A native of Hachinohe, Aomori, Komazawa University ekiden team member Ren Tazawa was honored at Hachinohe city hall on Jan. 5 for winning the Hakone Ekiden's Second Stage. Tazawa visited city hall with his junior high school-era coach Kiyoshi Kazahari of Korekawa J.H.S. and talked with mayor Yuichi Kumagai about his win on Hakone's most competitive leg. 

A third-year at Komazawa, Tazawa served as team captain in the year leading up to the 2022 Hakone Ekiden. Komazawa fell short of a second-straight overall Hakone win, but its 3rd-place finish was buoyed by Tazawa's superb run on the Second Stage. Tazawa will return to Tokyo on Jan. 6, and on Jan. 7 he will begin training for May's National Championships 10000 m.

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translated by Brett Larner

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