Kagoshima's Higo Ginko women's corporate team ran Sunday's Princess Ekiden in a successful shot at making November's Queens Ekiden national championship. On its roster was a runner who looks forward to taking her daughter to the big show.
Handling First Stage duties for the Higo Ginko team, Shiori Nagumo's driving force was her 2-year-old daughter Itoha Nagumo. Shiori, 29, brings Itoha with her on team training camps and to races. When Shiori trains, Itoha is there to give her water. "It's a good thing, you know," said Higo Ginko head coach Shigeharu Watanabe, 55. "Even after becoming a mother, she's still able to focus on being an athlete."
Shiori was once a key member of the top-tier Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo team, but she retired to give birth. Afterward she still felt motivated to return to running, and when her former Mitsui Sumitomo coach Watanabe got in touch she agreed to join Higo Ginko in July last year. "It's not easy to get a position on a team once you have a child," said Shiori. "I feel like they saved me."
The Princess Ekiden took place Sunday in Fukuoka. Itoha was there with her father Jun Nagumo to cheer for Shiori at the 1 km to go point on her leg. "Can you cheer, 'Let's go! Let's go!, Itoha?" he asked her. "Uh-huh," Itoha nodded. When Shiori came Jun shouted encouragement to her, making Itoha jump and start crying in surprise at how loud his voice was.
Shiori finished 2nd on the First Stage, just 5 seconds back from the leader. Fourth runner Diana Cherotich, 18, also ran well to keep Higo Ginko in excellent position. In the last phase of the race it dropped back through the field, but its final position of 9th was enough to qualify for Queens Ekiden and make the group of supports who had come from Kumamoto to cheer happy. "I'm always grateful to my family for supporting me and giving me strength," Shiori said.
Asked if she plans to bring Itoha to the Queens Ekiden, Shiori said, "Yes, I'll bring her. We're going to Sendai!" Itoha nodded at being included in Higo Ginko's first trip to the national championship race in two years.
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translated by Brett Larner
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