“スーパー中学生” 野球と陸上の二刀流『侍ジャパン』で「最優秀防御率」＆「打率４割超え」　陸上では『３種目で県大会を制覇』どの高校へ進学するのか楽しみな逸材！

There is a junior high school student in Kumamoto who wears the number "1" on the Samurai Japan U-15, Japan's national baseball team for junior high school students. We interviewed this super junior high school student who is not only at the top of baseball but also at the top of the country in track and field. Shoma Ikeda, a third-year student at Yamaga Junior High School. Position: Infielder/Pitcher Throwing/Batting: Right-handed/Left-handed Height: 176cm Weight: 63kg As a pitcher, his fastest fastball exceeds 140 km/h, and as a batter, he is a super junior high school student who has hit a total of 13 home runs in junior high school. His team's manager, who has professional experience, also highly praises his abilities. Kumamoto Chuo Boys' Manager Otsu Kazuhiro: "I think he is a player who is at a very high level in terms of running, pitching, and hitting. I hope that he will become a professional baseball player in the future." Ikeda was selected for the Samurai Japan under-15 team and will participate in the Asian Championships in August. As a batter, he had a batting average of over 40%, and as a pitcher, he was awarded the best ERA, and contributed to Japan's runner-up finish with both his pitching and batting. Ikeda Seima: "I was confident, but I didn't think I would be able to perform that well, so I'm honestly happy." Ikeda is in charge of pitching for Samurai Japan, but in fact, he is most confident in his infield defense. Ikeda: "I think my strengths are my ability to throw from deep positions and my soft play." His wide defensive range and strong arm, which allows him to throw 110 meters, rivaling even the professionals, are his charms. Ikeda, who has the top level of his generation, has been committed to something since he was an elementary school student. That is "two-sword style baseball and track and field." Three years ago, when he was in sixth grade, Ikeda played for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks junior team, but he also played an active role in track and field, breaking tournament records in the "long jump" and the "javelic ball throw," an elementary school version of the javelin throw, at the Kumamoto Prefectural Championships. Ikeda, who played for the Softbank Hawks Juniors Ikeda (then in 6th grade) "I was happy to achieve this result, and I felt that all my efforts were worth it." Even now in his third year of junior high school, he continues to do track and field, and this year he won the Kumamoto Prefectural Championships in three events: long jump, triple jump, and javelin throw. In particular, he broke the Kumamoto Prefectural junior high school record with a jump of 72.55 meters in the javelin throw. Ikeda: "I think what my father taught me was reflected in my record, so I'm grateful to him." The track and field training he does with his father, Yuichi, a former track and field athlete, is also connected to baseball. Ikeda: "The javelin throw is a movement similar to baseball, and (jumping) is good training for strengthening the legs and hips." He also practices baseball with his father. His father, Yuichi, said, "If he wants to do it, we do it in this way, even when it's dark or raining, or after night practice." As a result of constantly being conscious of hitting the ball in the same place on the bat, the color of the core of the bat has peeled off. Ikeda: "I think if I can hit the ball in one place, I'm hitting it with the core, so I've been swinging the bat for three years in junior high school (to check that)." Ikeda's home is filled with trophies and medals as he has improved himself in this way. He says that he has been able to achieve results thanks to the support of his parents and grandparents. Ikeda: "I think I was able to get my body in shape thanks to them taking me to and from school and cooking for me, so I really feel that I didn't get to this point on my own." Ikeda has been a dual-sport athlete in baseball and track and field since elementary school. After entering high school, he will say goodbye to track and field and focus solely on baseball. Ikeda: "I'll do my best to become number one in Japan (in high school), and then I'll work hard to become a professional baseball player and play in the first team." Attention is focused on which high school Ikeda will attend!