Before the "National High School Ekiden", which connects high school runners in winter in Kyoto, was held on the 26th of this month, infection control measures for the tournament were announced.

The National High School Ekiden will be held on the 26th of this month at the start and finish of "Takebishi Stadium Kyoto" in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City, and 47 teams that have won the prefectural qualifying round will participate.



On the 15th, the convention secretariat held a press conference and announced measures for infection with the new coronavirus.



Among them, it was announced that a PCR test will be conducted for all team members such as athletes and staff from this tournament before entering Kyoto, and after the 18th of this month, the test will be positive, and the tournament 3 Athletes who had a fever of 37 degrees 5 minutes or more after the day before will not be allowed to participate.



On the other hand, this year we will set up a place where parents of athletes can support at "Takebishi Stadium Kyoto" which will be the start and finish, and each school will allow up to 20 people who applied in advance.



However, as for the support along the roadside including the general public, we will continue to ask for self-restraint from last year.



Also, last year, a car that broke the policeman's restraint during the women's race crossed the course and the athletes were affected, so the Kyoto Prefectural Police will strengthen measures such as increasing the number of police motorcycles to guard. It means that it was decided.

Outlook for this tournament

[Men] It


is expected that a fierce battle for victory will be held by multiple teams, including Sera Senior High School in Hiroshima, which aims to win consecutive championships, and Rakunan High School in Kyoto.



Sera is aiming for a solid championship with five winning members remaining last year, centered on Kosmas Mwangi, an international student who set a new section record in the 3rd ward last year.



Following this is Rakunan in Kyoto, my hometown.

With Keisuke Sato, an ace who broke the Japanese high school record in three events such as the 5000 meters, the second place in the past is expected to be the best Kyoto team to win the long-cherished first victory.



In addition, Miyagi's Sendai Ikuei High School, which is pulled by Shunyoshi Yoshii, who holds the record of 3rd place in the history of high school at 10,000 meters, has been ranked within 4th place in the last 6 consecutive tournaments, and boasts 2 wins and outstanding stability. Kurashiki High School in Okayama.

In addition, Fukushima's Gakuhou Ishikawa High School, which has a record of 13 minutes at 5000 meters, is expected to be involved in the battle for victory.



[Women]


Ikuei Sendai, who set the fastest time in Japan in the prefectural qualifying round last year, will lead the race for victory.

We aim to win the championship for the first time in two years, centered on the "Double Ace" of Nanaka Yonezawa and Shinon Sugimori, who finished second in the women's 1500 meters of the Japan Championship last year.



The rival is Kamimura Gakuen in Kagoshima, and only one member has experienced the tournament last year, which came in second place, but at the Kagoshima tournament, first-year international student Cariba Caroline set a new section record. A new force has been added, such as.



In addition, Ritsumeikan Uji High School in Kyoto, which has participated 33 times in a row, Kansai groups such as Osaka Kun'ei Jogakuin, and Kojokan High School in Okayama are ranked high.



On the other hand, in Sera, who won the championship last year, the international students who were the center of the team graduated and the qualifying time did not increase, so the growth potential of the new force is likely to influence the ranking.