Track and Field
Meet

The flag bearer for Kojimachi Middle School leads the school's athletes onto the field. A long-jumper takes off. Let's see how far she jumped. The Kojimachi Middle School's cheering section. The students cheer the athletes on by yelling loudly to the beat of a big drum.


The Chiyoda Ward Elementary and Middle School Track and Field Meet has been held every fall for the past 20 years. A total of 15 schools participate: eight elementary schools and five middle schools from Chiyoda Ward; plus two middle schools from Tsumagoi-mura, a mountainous village in Gumma Prefecture north of Tokyo with which Chiyoda Ward has an exchange program.

Flag bearers from each school gather at the center of the field, and a student representative pledges to compete fairly. Let the meet begin!
Students clear hurdles one after another.


The track and field meet is held at the National Stadium, which was built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Many of the world's leading athletes have competed at the stadium since then, and being able to run on that same track is a big treat for the students. Students who want to participate in the meet simply submit their names to the organizing committee. In a typical year, about 100 students--both boys and girls--represent Kojimachi Middle School at the meet. Most of the participants prepare for the big day by practicing on their own. Other students form cheerleading squads and brass bands to root for their classmates. At the meet, the cheerleading squads from each school perform in their own unique style.


Starting with the Tokyo Olympics, many of the world's top athletes have competed at the National Stadium. Members of the brass band cheer on fellow students from Kojimachi Middle School. A high-jumper executes a jump with his back facing the ground.