Our Town Inagi 2022: Shingen Kozono

Runner-up in the All Japan Runbike Championship 3-Year-Old Class!

A podium of smiles with family participating in balance bike activities!

Shingen Kozono (4 years old), who lives in Hirao, won second place in the 3-year-old class at the 8th round of the All Japan Run Bike Championship Series held in Nozawa Onsen Village, Nagano Prefecture on July 31. A run bike is a type of bicycle without pedals that is propelled by kicking with the feet. Competitions are held nationwide that children as young as 2 years old can participate in. Shingen received a run bike as a birthday present when he turned 2 and started riding it. He looked like he was having a lot of fun, so he tried participating in a smaller competition and was overjoyed to receive a participation medal! After seeing the top participants receive trophies, he became eager to participate in other competitions. Now, he is part of the team "Sagamihara Team Rust-eze" in Sagamihara City, along with his parents and sister Komari, and has started to enjoy run biking as a serious sport. Every day, the family practices and trains for about an hour and a half to two hours at Inagi Central Park and Wakabadai Park, and a few times a month, he commutes outside the city to participate in team practices, honing his skills.

The All Japan Run Bike Championship, which was the runner-up this time, is one of the largest run bike competitions in Japan, attracting many participants from all over the country. In the 3-year-old class of the 8th round of the series, over 60 top riders competed fiercely. His mother, Naoko, reflected on the day, saying, "The venue was filled with tension, and he was focused," and praised Shingen-kun's efforts, stating, "I think it's really amazing that he was able to showcase the results of his daily practice in such a tense atmosphere." Shingen-kun smiled and said, "It was fun."

"I want to win next!" Future goals and a wish for the safe promotion of run bikes

Shingen-kun said, "I love running. (From now on) I will run with all my energy." He shared his goal. He plans to continue practicing and participating in competitions, aiming for victory in the 4-year-old class at a competition around next summer when he will be in the latter half of his 4-year-old age.
On the other hand, Naoko-san feels the importance of traffic rules when riding a balance bike. For example, she mentioned that it would be good to have traffic rules such as wearing a helmet and recommending riding on flat ground, saying, "There are also news about traffic accidents. I want children to enjoy riding balance bikes while knowing traffic rules and ensuring their safety by wearing protectors."