Three men and women who were appointed as representatives talked about their joy and enthusiasm at the dawn of the 10,000-meter race of the Japan Championships in Athletics, which was also selected as the representative of the Tokyo Olympics.
In the race on the night of the 3rd, 20-year-old Ririka Hironaka, who won the race, and Yuka Ando, who finished second, fought for the championship at a high pace until the end, and both of them broke the standard record for participation in the Olympics. Then, Tatsuhiko Ito won the championship and decided to be the representative.
The three of them attended a press conference together in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture on the morning of the 4th.
Hironaka, who grabbed the Olympic ticket in his second 10,000-meter race, said, "I was so excited last night that I couldn't sleep easily. Yesterday I was able to do my own race, but in the future, I will be fighting in the world. I found a lot of improvements and issues. I want to improve the parts that are lacking, such as speed. "
Ando, who broke the standard record for participation with a tenacious run, said about the Olympics, "When I saw Naoko Takahashi winning the gold medal at the Sydney Games when I was in the first grade of elementary school, I vaguely thought it was a longing and a dream. I'm excited to be on the stage. I want to run in a way that gives me energy, courage, and excitement. "
In addition, Ito, who was nominated as a representative in the race in his hometown Shizuoka Prefecture, said, "While I was happy to hold the event locally, I was also feeling pressure. I'm glad I was shown to you. "
Then, based on the fact that he did not have a remarkable track record in high school, he said, "I want to prove that even an unknown player like myself has a chance by running with a sullen feeling." I was enthusiastic.