Fired by Rikkyo University as head coach of its track and field program four days before October's Hakone Ekiden qualifier half marathon after evidence emerged of an inappropriate relationship with a female team member, Yuichiro Ueno, 38, is set to join the Saga-based Hiramatsu Byoin corporate team in a return to a career as an athlete. Multiple corporate teams are said to have made offers for a "second chance" to Ueno, who was known as "the fastest coach in Japan," due to his ability and extensive knowledge and experience. Ueno appears to have selected the rapidly-growing Hiramatsu Byoin team from among the offers.
A former star runner at Saku Chosei H.S., Chuo University and S&B, Ueno was named head coach at Rikkyo in 2018 to lead the program back to the Hakone Ekiden in time for its 100th running in January, 2024. As part of his idiosyncratic coaching style he was known for running with the Rikkyo athletes. At last year's Hakone Ekiden qualifier Rikkyo finished 6th to make Hakone a year ahead of schedule, ending a record-breaking 55-year streak of non-appearances. At Hakone itself the team finished 18th. At this year's Hakone the team's goal was to make the top 10 for the first time in 62 years, which would be another record-breaking achievement. Just four days before the qualifier Ueno was fired, but the Rikkyo team still managed to qualify without him.
In the aftermath Ueno largely stayed in his home reflecting on the situation, then decided to make a comeback as an athlete and returned to training. While it was true that he had made a serious mistake, at heart he still loved the sport of running. After the Hakone qualifier, Rikkyo captain Toru Miyazawa commented, "We can't forgive coach Ueno for what he did, but he still ran with us and got us to Hakone. I'm grateful that he raised to the level where we could make the big show." This year Ueno anchored the Nagano prefecture team to the win at January's National Men's Ekiden and made the 5000 m at June's National Track and Field Championships. Despite now being 38, he remains at the top tier as an athlete within Japan.
The Hiramatsu Byoin team placed 7th at November's Kyushu Jitsugyodan Ekiden to qualify for the Jan. 1 New Year Ekiden corporate men's national championships for the first time in three years. According to team management, Ueno plans to move from his current home in the Tokyo area to Hiramatsu Byoin's base in Ogi, Saga to train. The deadline for registering teams' rosters for the 2024 New Year Ekiden was Dec. 4, but it looks like there will be a chance to see Ueno's large-scale running again at the 2025 New Year Ekiden.
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translated and edited by Brett Larner
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