Okayama University’s Kendo Club competed in the 73rd Chugoku-Shikoku Student Kendo Championship, held on May 17 at the Kawasaki Gakuen General Gymnasium. In the men’s individual division, Mr. NAKAMURA Sota (5th-year student, Medical School) finished among the top 20 competitors, earning a place in the 74th All Japan Student Kendo Championship for the second consecutive year and the second time in his career.

The tournament featured 256 competitors from 27 universities and was conducted in a knockout format. With only 20 qualification spots available for the national championship, Mr. Nakamura advanced through the repechage rounds after reaching the round of 32, winning two consecutive matches to secure a top-20 finish and a berth in the national competition.

Reflecting on the tournament, Mr. Nakamura said:

“There were periods when I was unable to practice as much as I wanted due to examinations in medical school, but I made the most of my free time to continue training. I am grateful to everyone who practiced with me, both in club activities and individual training sessions. As in the previous tournament, I focused on each match one at a time. Even in physically demanding situations, the support and encouragement of all the club members helped me remain composed until the very end. I also believe that the dedicated support of our faculty advisor, Professor NAKATA, alumni, and other faculty members associated with the club, as well as the guidance I received during training sessions, contributed greatly to this result. At the All Japan Championship, I will continue to train hard every day with the goal of advancing further than I did last year.”

The Okayama University Kendo Club continues to demonstrate its strength and determination, and further success is anticipated in the future.

〇74th All Japan Student Kendo Championship
▸ Dates: July 4–5
▸ Venue: Nippon Budokan

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