Ekiden coach IBA (left), Ekiden runners, and Meijiro, who made a surprise appearance at the press conference
At a press conference on April 2 at Surugadai Campus Liberty Tower, the Ekiden section of the Track and Field Club announced the introduction of the new coaching structure.
Meiji University launched the “Shikon no Tasuki (bluish-purple sash) Project - Reviving M’s Glory” as part of its 150 Year Anniversary Project. Under this initiative, the new coaching structure was implemented on April 1, with the objective of winning the Hakone Ekiden in the 2031 academic year (January 2032), the year of the university’s 150th anniversary. Serving as a public kick-off event as well, the press conference attracted about 300 attendees besides members of the media , including students and alumni.
At the session, President UENO Masao, who also serves as Head of the Athletic Association, stated firmly, “Under the new structure, I strongly believe these staff members will help make our dream come true —our Ekiden team advancing through the preliminaries, reaching the finals, and striving for the championship. To achieve this goal, Meiji University is committed to fully supporting the Track and Field Club.”
President UENO giving an energetic speech
Then, NAKAGAWA Shuichi (Professor, School of Commerce), General Manager of the Track and Field Club , and Head Coach SONOHARA Takehiro, shared the story behind the launch of the project.
Looking back on the club’s legacy, Head Coach SONOHARA expressed his gratitude to the fans for their continued support and shared his determination: “I hope the club members will grow as individuals and contribute to the university as they strive toward the challenging goal of winning the Hakone Ekiden. We aim to unite as a team and push forward toward the victory.”
Head Coach SONOHARA expressing his unwavering determination
Following that, Ekiden Head Coach OSHIDA Shuji outlined the team’s development and coaching policy, and shared his aspirations: “While focusing on both their studies and races, I hope the team members will go on to take an active role in society. When each member’s clear goals and firm determination come together, the team will ultimately grow stronger. I value their individual qualities because cultivating those will help build a stronger team.”
Ekiden Head Coach OSHIDA sharing his strong ambitions
Ekiden Coach IBA Yutaro (School of Political Science and Economics, graduated in 2017) shared his aspirations, drawing on his experience as a former captain of the club: “I’m relatively close in age to the current members, and I hope to use that to my advantage in supporting them. Now, as a coach, I am determined to fulfill the goal I set during my student days —to contribute to winning the Hakone Ekiden.”
Ekiden Coach IBA outlining his vision for the future
The following team members introduced themselves and shared their aspirations: Captain MUROTA Anju (fourth-year, School of Information and Communication), Vice-Captain HORI Sousuke (fourth-year, School of Commerce), Vice-Captain YAMAMOTO Itsuki (fourth-year, School of Business Administration), AYA Kazuki (third -year, School of Science and Technology), and OOMINATO Shuto (third-year, School of Information and Communication). Stating his personal goal of winning the 10th leg sectional prize in the Hakone Ekiden, MUROTA said, “As captain, I want to work hard and lead the team to qualify for the Hakone Ekiden first.”
Captain MUROTA Anju
