Sato’s roommate at Komazawa shall be Ibuki Kaneko, who ran effectively on the uphill Fifth Stage on the Hakone Ekiden and is beginning his third yr in April. Assigned to mentor is Kotaro Shinohara, simply ending his personal first yr, who beat Sato by one place at February’s Nationwide Cross Nation Championships. Shinohara welcomed the group’s new recruit. “Sato’s actually sturdy,” he mentioned. “I will should work exhausting to not get crushed.”
Because the older group members present the 18-year-old Sato across the dorm, his 180 cm peak stands out. His lengthy limbs and dynamic type already make him a match for even the very best amongst them on the observe. Final June Sato was eighth within the 1500 m on the Nationwide Championships. The following month he ran 3:37.18, the Third-fastest time ever by a Japanese athlete and bettering the highschool nationwide document for the primary time in 22 years. Later in the summertime he received the 1500 m on the Nationwide Excessive Faculty Championships and was the highest Japanese placer within the 5000 m at Third general. Within the fall he broke the 3000 m and 5000 m highschool nationwide information.
Sato remains to be over two seconds off the three:35.00 qualifying commonplace for July’s Oregon World Championships 1500 m, however, says Komazawa head coach Hiroaki Oyagi, is optimistic about his probabilities. “I might like him to go for it, and within the 5000 m as effectively.” Sato agreed, saying, “I wish to run sub-13 whereas I am a pupil right here. The main focus till my second yr shall be on growing my velocity, and making the World Championships this yr is a significant aim. First up I’ve to get the usual and make prime 3 at Nationals.”
Final November Komazawa received the Nationwide College Males’s Ekiden for the second yr in a row, and in January it was Third on the Hakone Ekiden. Sato can also be extremely motivated for ekiden success. “I wish to construct my stamina on the summer season coaching camps and be in place to win my stage proper from my first yr. The Hakone group shall be powerful to make as a result of the older runners are extra skilled with lengthy distances, however I might be glad to run something apart from the mountain phases.”
Additionally at Komazawa are two of Japan’s greatest 10000 m runners, Ren Tazawa, 27:23.44, and Mebuki Suzuki, 27:41.68. Tazawa is the fastest-ever Japanese-born collegian and all-time Japanese #2, and Suzuki was Third ultimately yr’s Nationwide Championships. “Having sturdy senior teammates will inspire me to enhance my very own degree,” mentioned Sato with attribute stoicism.
Komazawa’s annual first-year coaching camp begins on Mar. 17 and can mark Sato’s official transition from “Rakunana’s Sato” to “Komazawa’s Sato.” Having laid out some huge targets, this 18-year-old expertise is bound to play a giant position each in Japan and on the world degree.
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translated by Brett Larner
