March 11, 2019
Hikari Tanimoto, a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, won a silver medal in the women's 3000-meter short track speed skating relay at the 29th Winter Universiade, held in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, from March 2.
Tanimoto is a member of the speed skating division of the Athletic Association Skating Team. This is a remarkable achievement, as she was selected to represent Japan for the first time in an international competition for what was the final race of her university athletic career.
The Universiade, organized by the International University Sports Federation , is a competition commonly known as the "Olympics for students," and its name is a portmanteau of the words "University" and "Olympiad."
Comment from Hikari Tanimoto
I am very happy to have won a medal in my first world competition. I feel that by winning this medal, I was able to give back a little to show my daily gratitude to everyone who has supported me. The Universiade is such a major event that it is called the Olympics for students, and it was a very valuable experience for me. The opening ceremony was very exciting, and I was able to interact not only with Japanese athletes from other sports but also with athletes from other countries. The 3000-meter relay, in which I won a medal, requires strong teamwork, and I believe we were able to win the medal because we successfully brought out the best in each other. I am very happy to have had such a valuable experience at the end of my student life. Thank you very much.
Source: General Affairs Section, Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) Office