The 32nd National Junior High School Ekiden took place Sunday at Kibogaoka Bunka Koen in Shiga. In the girls' race, Okayama's Kyoyama J.H.S. scored back-to-back titles with a 41:18 for the 5-leg, 12.0 km course. After a slow start from lead runner Wakana Minami, the Kyoyama girls moved up steadily, third runner Mei Iwasaki taking the lead with a stage win and fourth runner Chisato Shimoda setting a new stage record of 6:41 for her 2.0 km leg. It was only the sixth successful title defense in Nationals history, with Kyoyama joining past two-time champions Gotemba J.H.S. (Shizuoka), Nakanojo J.H.S. (Gunma), Fujimi J.H.S. (Gunma), Katsura J.H.S. (Kyoto), and Inami J.H.S. (Hyogo).
47 seconds back in 2nd was Osawano J.H.S. (Toyama), whose fifth runner Shiho Kurokawa, winner of last year's third leg, had the fastest time on her leg again. Kamimura Gakuen J.H.S. (Kagoshima) was 3rd, whose anchor Kirari Takeda, fastest on the second leg win last year, passed 3 people to move Kamimura Gakuen into 3rd.
In the 6-leg, 18.0 km boys' race, Saitama's Fuji J.H.S. took the win in 57:17 in its Nationals debut. 14th after the first leg, Fuji moved up to 3rd with a big run from second runner Tomoki Hasanuddin, Fifth runner Haruma Kuno took them to 2nd, and final runner Ryo Uematsu, 5th in the 3000 m at this year's National Junior High School Track and Field Championships, turned in a heroic CR performance to overtake Abiko J.H.S. anchor Taishi Gosa.
Chiba's Abiko was 2nd, with Shizuoka's Hosoe J.H.S. dropping to 3rd after leading on the fourth and fifth legs.
32nd National Junior High School Ekiden
Kibogaoka Bunka Koen, Shiga, 15 Dec. 2024
Girls' Race
48 teams, 5 stages, 12.0 km
Top Individual Stage Performances
First Stage (3.0 km) - Ema Gendai (Minami J.H.S.) - 10:15
Second Stage (2.0 km) - Nozomu Tanaka (Honami Nishi J.H.S.) - 6:45
Third Stage (2.0 km) - Mei Iwasaki (Kyoyama J.H.S.) - 6:55
Fourth Stage (2.0 km) - Chisato Shimoda (Kyoyama J.H.S.) - 6:41 - CR
Fifth Stage (3.0 km) - Shiho Kurokawa (Osawano J.H.S.) - 10:17
Top Team Performances
1. Kyoyama J.H.S. (Okayama) - 41:18
2. Osawano J.H.S. (Toyama) - 42:05
3. Kamimura Gakuen J.H.S. (Kagoshima) - 42:51
4. Tono J.H.S. (Iwate) - 43:10
5. Koka J.H.S. (Kyoto) - 43:15
6. Matsubashi J.H.S. (Kumamoto) - 43:17
7. Minami J.H.S. (Ehime) - 43:30
8. Hosoe J.H.S. (Shizuoka) - 43:32
9. Funehiki J.H.S. (Fukushima) - 43:35
10. Daiju J.H.S. (Yamagata) - 43:44
Boys' Race
48 teams, 6 stages, 18.0 km
Top Individual Stage Performances
First Stage (3.0 km) - Hiromu Kamosaku (Kushigata J.H.S.) - 9:08
Second Stage (3.0 km) - Haru Tsutsui (IS Junior Ekiden Club) - 9:16
Third Stage (3.0 km) - Ayato Tamagawa (Kyoyama J.H.S.) - 9:15
Fourth Stage (3.0 km) - Genta Tsuge (Hosoe J.H.S.) - 9:07
Fifth Stage (3.0 km) - Kai Hoshina (Daigo J.H.S.) - 9:40
Sixth Stage (3.0 km) - Ryo Uematsu (Fuji J.H.S.) - 9:07 - CR
Top Team Performances
1. Fuji J.H.S. (Saitama) - 57:17
2. Abiko J.H.S. (Chiba) - 57:51
3. Hosoe J.H.S. (Shizuoka) - 57:57
4. Saka J.H.S. (Hiroshima) - 58:13
5. Iwanashiro J.H.S. (Fukushima) - 58:14
6. Kyoyama J.H.S. (Okayama) - 58:23
7. Matsubashi J.H.S. (Kumamoto) - 58:29
8. Oyodo J.H.S. (Miyazaki) -58:45
9. Kokufu J.H.S. (Yamaguchi) - 59:02
10. Chukyo J.H.S. (Fukuoka) - 59:05
source articles:
translated and edited by Brett Larner
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