Yuya Yoshida (23 = GMO), who participated in the general public, set a good time of 2 hours 7 minutes 5 seconds (preliminary figure) and achieved the first victory in the participation of the second marathon. “I was aiming for one position rather than one time. I was able to exert 100% of my strength. I am happy to win the championship.”

The pacemaker was thought to be a one-on-one fight with Taku Fujimoto (Toyota Motor) after 30 kilometers away, but he rejected it immediately. “I thought the game would be after 30 km. I was thinking of using the windbreaker well and leaving as much power as possible to reach 30 km,” he said. “It was a tough headwind race, but I will definitely win. I ran with the feelings,” he nodded.

In January this year, he established a new section in the fourth district of Hakone Ekiden and became the driving force behind the Seigaku University championship. At the Beppu Oita Mainichi Marathon in February, he put up a good fight in third place, the best Japanese team. As the first marathon, he set a good record of 2 hours 8 minutes 30 seconds, which is the second highest in Japanese history.

Initially, after graduating from college, he planned to join a major candy maker who had a job offer and to retire from his competitive life. However, he decided to continue the competition with the aim of representing the marathons of the Paris Olympics in 2012 and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2016. It was the first marathon for a corporate team runner, and it showed a wonderful run.

◆ Yuya Yoshida

▽ Born on April 23, 1997 (Heisei 9), from Higashimatsuyama City, Saitama Prefecture.

▽ History of the competition Matsuyama Daiichi-Higashi Elementary School Matsuyama Higashi Middle School-Tono Third High School-Seigaku University-GMO University.

▽ Self-recording marathon 2 hours 7 minutes 5 seconds, Half marathon 1 hour 3 minutes 19 seconds, 10,000 meters 28 minutes 19 seconds 7, 5000 meters 14 minutes 2 seconds 18.

▽ Hakone Ekiden’s second and third year results are anchor replacements. He participated for the first time in the final qualification and established a new section in 4 rooms.

▽ First Marathon In the Beppu Oita Mainichi Marathon in February 2008, Japan ranked third, the highest in Japan. 2 hours 8 minutes 30 seconds is second place in the first Japan marathon.

▽ Size 164 cm, 47 kg.