News Releases
Konica Minolta Track & Field Club Wins the Social Contribution Award of the Best JITA Club of The Year 2021
For Activities to Promote Sports and Community Interaction
October 11, 2022
Tokyo (October 11, 2022) – Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce that the Konica Minolta Track & Field Club (head coach: Katsumi Sakai) won the Social Contribution Award of the Best JITA Club of The Year 2021. The commendation ceremony was held on September 25, 2022 at the Nagaragawa Stadium of the Gifu Memorial Center.
The Japan Industrial Track & Field Association (JITA) commends teams or individuals which promoted track and field through social contribution activities. The Konica Minolta Track & Field Club was highly evaluated for its social contributions through various activities, including close collaboration with local governments in the club activities reform project in Hino City and the Japan Sports Agency’s Sport in Life demonstration project, its long history of providing operational support for the Hachioji Long Distance, and for assisting meet-and-greet events by live streaming.
Social Contribution Activities by the Konica Minolta Track & Field Club
The Konica Minolta Track & Field Club includes elite athletes in long-distance running, such as ekiden, marathon, and track. The club carries out various activities to help others experience the joy of running and attain goals based on the Konica Minolta method supervised by the club.
1. Guidance for sports club activities at Hino Municipal Junior High School
The Konica Minolta Track & Field Club organizes jogging classes involving all athletes and coaches for participants ranging from elementary school students to adults in Hachioji City and Hino City, Tokyo where the club is based.
The club is also involved in two initiatives: the club activities reform project currently underway at junior high schools in Hino City, and the Japan Sports Agency’s Sport in Life demonstration project to overcome barriers to sports activities. Coaches of the Konica Minolta Track & Field Club serve as external instructors of track and field, baseball, kendo, basketball, and volleyball clubs, providing guidance on stretching to prevent injuries, core training, and beat running, as well as basic training tailored to the characteristics of respective clubs. Through this project, members of the Konica Minolta Track & Field Club can engage in long-term social contribution activities, provide advice on club activities and participate in school education.
2. Hachioji Long Distance
Hachioji Long Distance is an athletic event for recording official times for long-distance track and field events which are organized by the East Japan Industrial Track and Field Association and the Hachioji City Track and Field Association. The Konica Minolta Track & Field Club has been assisting the administration of this event each year since it started in 1998.
This event is attended by top athletes in Japan and saw a new Japan Record set in 2015. Previously, it attracted more than 2,000 spectators each year, but in 2020 and 2021 it was held without spectators due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Konica Minolta live-streamed the race on YouTube for track and field fans, and there were 88,000 views in 2021.
YouTube (Japanese) https://www.youtube.com/user/konicaminoltarunpro
3. Running Project
The Konica Minolta Running Project (commonly known as “Run-Pro”) supports all people who love to run, from beginners who have just started jogging to committed runners who aim to break records.。
1) Dissemination of information via the website and Facebook
The Run-Pro page was launched on Facebook in 2012 as a forum for communication for the many people who are involved in running. It provides information about running, including training methods.
2) Running Clinic
The Running Clinic program is held in various parts of Japan. Active athletes and coaches of the Konica Minolta Track & Field Club provide face-to-face coaching to help participants improve their running and experience the joy of running with others.
3) Information dissemination through general runners
The Konica Minolta Track & Field Club helps selected general runners to train for full marathon events. Training sessions are introduced on Facebook to share the joy of running with all runners and motivate them to train.
Konica Minolta will continue to help many people experience the joy of running, dreams, and excitement through running, and to engage in social contribution activities to promote sports and community interaction.