On September 15, Okayama University's track and field club held a "Kickoff Meeting for the 36th Izumo All-Japan University Selection Ekiden" at the Okayama University Okayama Visionary Commons (OUX). The meeting was attended not only by current club members but also by supporters from crowdfunding, alumni, the cheering squad, and the wind orchestra, creating an atmosphere filled with laughter and tears.

FUKUNAGA Shinnosuke, the long-distance captain (third-year, School of Education), shared his thoughts during the captain’s address, saying, "When we secured our place in the Izumo Ekiden at the 67th Chugoku-Shikoku Student Ekiden Championship last November, I couldn't celebrate wholeheartedly. This was the time of leadership transition in November, and I had just become the long-distance captain. I felt a lot of anxiety and pressure about whether I could lead the team, and for about a month, I struggled to focus on the competition. However, through discussions among club members and our efforts in crowdfunding, we gradually built our confidence while expressing our unique identity. I believe the crowdfunding provided a great opportunity to promote Okayama University's track and field club nationwide. Moreover, we are the only first-time participants from Okayama University in this Izumo Ekiden, and we recently secured a spot in the All-Japan Ekiden as well, which speaks to the momentum of our team. In the Izumo Ekiden, we aim to finish in the top 13 and become the number one national university team."

Following this, six athletes introduced themselves: AKAZAWA Kyoya (third-year, School of Engineering), ISHINABE Souichi (fourth-year, Dental School), KIDO Hayate (second-year, School of Engineering), ASAHI Shunsuke (second-year master, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology), IWASAKI Ryota (fifth-year, Medical School), and HINAGO Yasuaki (second-year, Medical School), sharing their hopes for their race segments and their aspirations.

During the unveiling of the new uniforms, Mr. Ishinabe explained, "When we ran in the All-Japan University Selection, there were comments about not knowing which university the athletes were from, so we designed it to feature 'Okayama University' prominently on the front."

Executive Director for Academic Affairs SUGA Seiji, a supporter of the crowdfunding initiative, expressed, "I wanted to participate in the kickoff meeting, so I’m thrilled it happened. I was moved by Mr. Fukunaga's words. The experience on this big stage will serve you well in the future, so please do your best." Additionally, during the performance by the cheering squad and wind orchestra, participants raised their fists in solidarity, creating a unified atmosphere of support for the track and field club.