Nishinomiya-Born Runners Competing in the Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is underway. We were able to confirm that there are two runners from Nishinomiya〜

Maeda-kun from Tokyo University of Agriculture

Third-year runner Kazuma Maeda (前田 和摩) is from Nishinomiya.

He went to Nishinomiya Municipal Fukatsu Junior High School. Apparently, he was in the soccer club rather than the track and field club,

and he is said to be a graduate of Hotoku Gakuen High School. Source is here

His 10,000m time is 27’21″52 (a Japanese student record). Amazing!

Akiyoshi-kun from the Kanto Student Union (University of Tokyo)

Fourth-year runner Takuma Akiyoshi (秋吉 拓真).

He apparently moved to Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, when he was in first grade and went on to attend Rokko Gakuin. I wonder if he went to a cram school or something for junior high entrance exams〜.