In the century-long history of the Hakone Ekiden, few moments get the blood racing like the showdown on the Section 5 climb; and in today's just-concluded 102nd Hakone Ekiden outbound race, Aoyama Gakuin University (hereafter "Aoyama Gakuin") staged an epic comeback that once again proved the mettle of the "dominant squad."

Thanks to fourth-year aceAsahi Kuroda's otherworldly performance in Section 5 (the mountain leg), Aoyama Gakuin University not only erased a deficit of more than three minutes, but also 5:18:08 as their total time set a new outbound course record, securing their third straight outbound victory.

And on the shores of Lake Ashi, a new legend was born — Asahi Kuroda posted 1 hour 07 minutes 16 seconds, cutting nearly two minutes off the previous segment record. After the race he declared boldly: "I am the new Mountain God!"

For Aoyama Gakuin University, aiming for an overall three-peat, today's race got off to what could only be described as 'hell mode'.

After the start of the first leg, last year’s 10th-leg section winner 小河原阳琉 (2nd year) looked off form, unexpectedly fell behind, and handed over in a dismal 16th place. In the Hakone Ekiden, packed with top contenders, being behind after the first leg means every subsequent runner must shoulder enormous psychological pressure to fill the “gap.”

However, Aoyama Gakuin's depth was fully revealed in adversity.

• Section 2 (Flower Section 2): Shota Iida (second-year) held firm under pressure, fought hard to chase in the segment packed with each school's ace runners, and moved up to 11th place.
• Section 3: fourth-year veteran Shunya Utagawa ran a steady race, continuing to push the team up to 8th place.
• Section 4: Kyosuke Hiramatsu (third-year) posted the third-fastest time in the section; by the handoff at the Hiratsuka relay station, Aoyama Gakuin University had quietly moved into 5th place.

Despite their teammates' desperate chase, at the Odawara relay station (handoff from Section 4 to Section 5), Aoyama Gakuin University still had a huge 3 minutes 24 seconds deficit to the then-leading Chuo University. On the 20.8-kilometer uphill Section 5, making up a three-and-a-half-minute deficit would, by common sense, be almost impossible.

But coach Susumu Hara's "divine move" took effect at that moment. Asahi Kuroda, who had been predicted by outsiders to run the second leg, was moved into the fifth leg in that day's lineup changes. That tactical arrangement became the decisive move of the day.

When he took the tasuki, Asahi Kuroda's eyes were fixed only on the back of the runner ahead. He faced a brutal course with over 800 meters of elevation gain and the onslaught from four powerhouse schools in front of him.

After the race began, Kuroda quickly got into his stride.

• He first overtook Saito of Josai University.
• At 9.7 km: He caught up with first-year Itsuki Takaishi of Kokugakuin University, moving up to 3rd place.
• At 13.64 km: Daichi Shibata (3rd year) of Chuo University was also dropped by him, and Aoyama Gakuin rose to 2nd place.

At that moment, the only obstacle left in front of him was the final challenge—the "Mountain Detective" Shinsaku Kudo of Waseda University (third year). Kudo had been assigned the fifth leg for three consecutive years, making him extremely experienced and a formidable competitor.

However, today Kuroda had entered a state of 'selflessness.' He caught up with Kudo at 19.25 km. There was no prolonged tussle; Kuroda simply accelerated away, and on the final downhill stretch he displayed astonishing control and speed.

In the end, Asahi Kuroda was the first to sprint across the finish line at Lake Ashi.

1 hour 07 minutes 16 seconds!

When the big screen displayed that time, the crowd was stunned. It wasn't just a new split record — it pulverized the previous mark (1:09:11, held by Hiroki Wakabayashi) by 1 minute 55 seconds. In today's era of highly advanced road racing, a nearly two-minute improvement in the record is nothing short of miraculous.

After the race, Asahi Kuroda, smiling but visibly exhausted, gave an interview; his words revealed the confidence of a champion.

About that breathtaking 3-minute 24-second comeback, Kuroda admitted: "Honestly, before the race I thought the best I could hope for was to move up to around third. But I had only one thought in my head: I had to keep pushing forward. Today I ran beyond what I thought I was capable of."

When talking about the race, he described an almost “blanked-out” extreme state: “In the latter stages of the race I was really running unconsciously; my memories are very fuzzy. Especially after the downhill started, I have no memory at all — just running desperately.”

When asked about the feeling of substantially smashing the segment record, this usually composed fourth-year student left a declaration to the camera that will surely go down in history: “I want to say it out loud here — I am the new generation 'Mountain God'!”

On tactics, Kuroda revealed his mindset: "Although at the start I was running side-by-side with Saito from Josai University, I didn't pay much attention to my opponent and instead focused entirely on my own rhythm. I believed that if I performed to my level, running into the 1:07 range was possible."

Kuroda's sensational run not only captivated the crowd, it also prompted the sport's "Mountain Gods" across generations to doff their hats in tribute.

The famed "third-generation Mountain God" Daichi Kamino watched the race in awe, repeatedly exclaiming "Appare." Meanwhile, another legend, the "second-generation Mountain God" Ryuji Kashiwabara, also heaped high praise on Kuroda's performance, calling it otherworldly.

Even the runner who was overtaken conceded defeat with respect. Waseda University's Shinsaku Kudo, while regretful about being passed and saying he needs to "rethink" his strategy for next year, could only acknowledge Kuroda's speed. After the race, a competitor even joked, "I really hope he runs the second leg next time (laughs) — that performance is simply not human."

Coach Susumu Hara: "A perfect 100-point performance"

Aoyama Gakuin University's veteran coach Susumu Hara could hardly contain his excitement after the race. Regarding his decision to place his outright ace Kuroda in the fifth leg, he proudly said, "This was a perfect, 100‑point call!"

Hara's risky gamble not only rescued the crisis of a first-leg loss, but also directly secured Aoyama Gakuin's position as outbound-leg champion. Historical data shows that every year Aoyama Gakuin won the outbound leg, they went on to claim the overall title. This "championship rule" undoubtedly adds a huge psychological edge going into tomorrow's return leg.

Although Asahi Kuroda's individual heroics were dazzling, this was still a victory for the ekiden spirit. Without second-leg Iida, third-leg Utagawa, and fourth-leg Hiramatsu refusing to give up while trailing, Kuroda would not have had the stage for his come-from-behind miracle. As Aoyama Gakuin University team members said after the race: "Ekiden is not a one-person fight."

Tomorrow (January 3), the 102nd Hakone Ekiden will begin the return course (sections 6-10). Can Aoyama Gakuin University, which holds the outbound-course record and a psychological edge, maintain that advantage to the finish and secure a third consecutive overall title? How will the other universities mount their final counterattack in Otemachi?