The Hokkaido prefectural qualifying race for December's National High School Ekiden took place this weekend at Abashiri Sports Training Field. 20 teams from 14 schools ran the 5-stage, 21.0975 km girls' race. Going for its 14th-straight Hokkaido representation at Nationals, Asahikawa Ryukoku H.S. was an unexpected DNF when its anchor suffered a broken bone.
With 400 m to go the Asahikawa Ryukoku girls were in 2nd, enough to qualify for the National High School Ekiden. Team members were gathered to welcome in 3rd-year anchor Kokoro Matsubara, calling out her name as she approached the finish line. But their cheers turned to screams as Matsubara twisted her ankle and fell. According to head coach Fumihito Abe, Matsubara was taken to the hospital, where she was found to have broken her ankle.
As a result the team was a DNF, ending its Nationals streak at 13 years. As team members fought to hold back their tears post-race, coach Abe told them, "Matsubara is the one who is suffering the most right now. Let's do everything we can to support her."
Translator's note: Asahikawa Ryukoku H.S. is the school that built a greenhouse enclosure for its track, featured in the video above, a few years ago so its girls' team could train through the winter.
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translated by Brett Larner
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