As Daichi Kamino crossed the finish line at the end of the first day of last year's Tokyo-Hakone collegiate ekiden (relay marathon) championship, he ran straight into the arms of his ecstatic teammates.
Kamino ensured Aoyama Gakuin University had a day to remember, seizing the lead from Komazawa University over the mountainous 23.2-km fifth stage and winning the opening day of the grueling road race for the first time in the institution's history.
Kamino's university would eventually go on to defend its lead on the second day as well, winning the annual race for the first time ever. Kamino took much of the credit for the victory, with his manager describing him as "Superman."