Bihar-born, IIT Kanpur-educated Abhishek Anand takes his cricketing passion to Japan

In Britain, the Japanese running tradition known as the ekiden relay is taking root, with runners embracing the teamwork and sense of responsibility that the sport embodies. The Hakone Ekiden, the largest of such relays in Japan, has inspired a British ekiden that has been held three times so far. The most recent edition took place on June 12, featuring 17 universities racing over a 112-kilometer course along the River Thames from Windsor, a location known for its royal castle.

Unlike many Japanese races held on paved roads, parts of the British course wind through scenic, off-road terrain.

The event was conceived by Anna Dingley, a 51-year-old woman who spent eight years in Japan teaching English in Kagoshima Prefecture and working at a research facility in Kyoto. Dingley was inspired by the 100th Hakone Ekiden she watched in 2024, which moved her with the runners' intense efforts and the passionate cheers of spectators.

Determined to bring a similar event to Britain, Dingley secured sponsors and held the first UK Ekiden within six months, initially involving just three universities. However, after promoting the event, 25 schools applied to participate in the third edition, necessitating a qualifying round.

The race also includes a category for teams from companies and organizations. Each 10-member team consists of men and women, with teams from Japan representing different prefectures. This year, Ishikawa Prefecture was selected, and a trophy made from timber salvaged from homes damaged by the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake was awarded to the winning corporate or organizational team.

Chise Izumo of Kanazawa University, a Paralympic track gold medalist and double below-knee amputee, ran on a team alongside Paralympic gold medalist Richard Whitehead.

Dingley is also promoting the sport among children, with over 50 schools holding mini-ekiden events. Nick Armitage, headmaster of Rupert House School in Henley-on-Thames, noted that the events teach children valuable lessons about teamwork, which will benefit them in the wider world. The growing popularity of the sport has also extended to the English language, with the Oxford English Dictionary adding "ekiden" to its entries in December.

Dingley hopes that the British ekiden can establish a lasting tradition of its own, as the original Hakone race has been ongoing for over a century. With the Hakone Ekiden already a century old, she looks forward to the UK Ekiden continuing for another 100 years.