Kayoko Fukushi, 39, also participated in the Japan Championships in Athletics Women's 10,000m, which also served as the representative selection for the Tokyo Olympics, aiming for the fifth consecutive Olympic Games.

The result was the lowest 19th place among the participating athletes, and although the road to the Olympics was infinitely far away, his back led his juniors to the big stage.

About 2 minutes and 50 seconds after the winner, Ririka Hironaka, finished in this race with two representatives, Fukushi was the last to cross the finish line.


At the age of 39, who has been leading the Japanese women's long-distance world, all the juniors who crossed the boundaries of their affiliation followed their backs.

"Let's do as much as you like"

It


was a race that I faced with such a thought,

"Maybe there is one chance,"

but it was not in perfect condition.


I missed the marathon representative and once thought "I should stop", but I chose to re-challenge the Olympics in the track event, saying "Let's do as much as I like".

I followed the group right after the start of the race on the 3rd, but by the time I entered the 3rd lap, I was already separated by one person.

Even so, I was desperately looking at him.


5000 meters before, Hironaka, who won the championship, and Yuka Ando, ​​a junior of the affiliation, overtook him, and he was late for the lap.


Immediately after that, Ando, ​​who was behind Hironaka, came forward and did not give up the top position more than 3000 meters from here.


Ando is one of the people who has transferred to the affiliation of Otoshi Fukushi and has been chasing the back of Japanese legend Kayoko Fukushi.

Regarding the feelings when Fukushi was delayed in the lap, after the race, "I got a lot of courage when I saw Fukushi's" back ". Fukushi is struggling from the standpoint of Fukushi while practicing together. I've seen it up close, so I got the courage to fight in my place at that time. "



When he overtook Fukushi, who had been a guide for himself, as if he was pushed by his back, Ando continued the match race with Hironaka and seized the position of the Olympic representative.

Fukushi, who finished in 19th place at the bottom, received a big applause and never forgot his trademark smile.


He raised his hand to the audience and said "Thank you" in a loud voice, and when he left the truck, he walked a few steps and bowed deeply to the truck again as he left.

"And that it 's such a Japan Championship's last, to run a big tournament in the 10,000 meters just maybe was bowed impressed I think that might be no more. And track of the race was bowed in the feeling that Do was interesting"



emotional He talked about the meaning with his facial expression.


And I looked back on the 34 minutes that I ran to the end.



"I didn't run away from fighting myself. I feel like I've always seen what I've been doing for a long time."



Finally, when asked about the future, "Nothing I'm not looking at it. Do you want to do it again ... I want to take a closer look. "



After this, no matter what decision you make, the back that you have run so far should surely be burned into the eyes of your juniors.