MST Shines at the Elementary Track & Field Meet

On a bright and sunny day, 21 enthusiastic 4th and 5th grade students from Willow class proudly represented MST at the ISTAA Elementary Track & Field Meet. Participation was optional, and we were thrilled that so many chose to take on the challenge. Each school sent a team of similar size, creating a fun and balanced competition among international schools.

The event took place on a professional-sized track and athletic field in Yumenoshima, giving students the rare opportunity to compete in a real sports venue. Field events included speed bounce, shot put (with actual competition equipment!), standing vertical jump, long jump, and even triple jump. On the track, students raced in a range of sprints and distance runs: 50m, 100m, 400m, 800m, and a thrilling 4x100m relay. Every child participated in a variety of these events, making it a well-rounded and exciting day for all.

Despite a surprising temperature spike—about 10 degrees hotter than the day before—our students stayed resilient. As the sun rose higher, so did we—literally—moving higher up the bleachers in search of shade! Many of the kids were provided bags of ice to help stay cool. The grandstands were filled with energy, as over 13 MST families joined in to cheer, creating a fantastic atmosphere of support and school spirit.

Special shout-outs go to Koji, who worked with the team in advance to help organize who would compete in each event and to Vitalii who worked on these events with the children in PE classes ahead of time and helped manage the event.

One especially memorable moment came when one student, after suffering from heat exhaustion and resting in the first aid room, learned she had qualified for the 50m finals. Demonstrating incredible spirit and determination, she got up, ran her race, and then returned to recover. What a star!

At the end of the day, MST finished 3rd out of 7 schools—a fantastic result. More importantly, our students displayed excellent sportsmanship, effort, and responsibility in getting to their events and supporting one another. We couldn’t be prouder of how they represented MST.

–Kelly Godsoe, Willow Lead Teacher

and Wind Edward Kim