Topics

Akira Shimada of Ekiden (Road Relay) Club wins the international half marathon competition

On Sunday, June 1, 2025, Teikyo University Ekiden (Road Relay) Club 's Akira Shimada (4th year, Faculty of Medical Technology) competed in the Peppers Silo Half Marathon held in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. He ran a great race, breaking the course record, and won the race. The same club's Hitoshi Ozaki (4th year, Faculty Faculty of Economics) also broke the course record and came in 4th place.
This year's race is one of the most important international competitions, attracting attention as it features top athletes from both within and outside of Japan in the university track and field world, and it also provides a valuable opportunity for university runners aiming to compete in the Hakone Ekiden to gain practical experience overseas. The selection of participants was based on the results of the 28th Japan Student Half Marathon Championships, which was held recently, and Shimada and Ozaki from our university were selected to participate.

comment

Akira Shimada
This was my first time competing in an overseas race, and it was a very good experience to race in an environment different from Japan. Before the race, I was so nervous that my hands were shaking, but as soon as I started, I was able to concentrate and run. After 8km, my pace fluctuated a lot, but I knew that the deciding factor would come after 15km, so I was able to respond calmly even when the pace increased. I think that ultimately led to my victory.

Mr. Ozaki
This was my first overseas race, and I had some unexpected problems, including differences in language and environment, but I remained calm and performed as usual, and was able to achieve my goal of winning. I will use the lessons and adaptability I gained from this experience in my future competitive career, and I will continue to work hard to achieve better results, never forgetting my gratitude to the people who support me on a daily basis.

Tournament Results

Akira Shimada won the race in 1 hour, 1 minute, 12 seconds, a new tournament record.
Hitoshi Ozaki 4th place, 1 hour 1 minute 24 seconds, new tournament record

Click here for details of the tournament results
For more information about Teikyo University Ekiden (Road Relay) Club click here
Click here for information about clubs and circles

To the topic List