The domestic opening round of this season's skating short track started in Nagano Prefecture on the 25th, and Sumire Kikuchi won the women's 500 meters for the fourth consecutive time, making a good start toward the Beijing Olympics next year.
The All Japan Distance Championship, which will be the opening round of the short track in Japan this season, is being held at the Teisan Ice Skate Training Center in Minamimaki Village, Nagano Prefecture on the 25th and 26th.
On the 25th, men's and women's 500-meter and 1500-meter races were held, of which Kikuchi, the representative of the Pyeongchang Olympics, participated in the women's 500-meter final.
When Kikuchi got out of the start, he kept his speed and never gave up the top to the finish, marking 43.759 and winning the tournament for the fourth consecutive time.
Kikuchi responded to the opening race by saying, "Since the number of games is small until the Olympics, I went to the race assuming each Olympics. I took the plunge and started and maintained the speed with plenty of time." It looked like I felt it.
In addition, Ami Hirai reversed just before the goal at 1500 meters for women and won the second victory for the first time in two years. I won the championship for the second time.